


In The Place Between Darkness and Light

by AmberJeans



Series: Past The Present [1]
Category: Shadowrun, Shadowrun Returns (Video Game), Shadowrun: Hong Kong
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure & Romance, Anal Sex, Backstory, Blood and Violence, Canon-Typical Behavior, Canon-Typical Violence, Crimes & Criminals, Developing Relationship, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/F, Gay Character, Gay Sex, Gen, Ghouls, Hacking, Lesbian Character, M/M, Magic, Magic and Science, Magic-Users, Megacorps (Shadowrun), Original Character(s), Other, Psychological Warfare, Public Sex, Science Fiction, Sex, Slow Burn, Spoilers, Urban Fantasy, Vaginal Sex, Violence, alternating povs, slight AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-18
Updated: 2019-10-26
Packaged: 2019-10-30 20:02:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 69,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17835233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmberJeans/pseuds/AmberJeans
Summary: This is an AU fic of the Hong Kong, with parts of Dead Man's Switch and Dragonfall.There will be differentiating POVs and copious amounts of backstory, with raunchier elements to be introduced later.I still try to stick to the story as closely as possible so be forewarned: SPOILERS!This will be my first piece; please be gentle.And thank you for reading!Edit: *Made some major edits to the story. If you can please reread at your earliest convenience. Thanks!*





	1. Rough Night

**Author's Note:**

> Edit: *Redone multiple parts, added character info, etc*

_ Hello? Can anyone hear me? This is Blink, designation 0x1. I am broadcasting on this line because I’ve lost my own personal commlink.  _

_ The  _ SKS  Haxton-Franz _ has been sunk. I repeat, the ship has sunk! I have reason to believe that it was a work of sabotage, as an unknown group pushed their way into the engine room. Explosions rocked the ship not long afterwards.  _

_ I was unable to get a clear look at them and I was unable to recover the roster before the ship went down. I’ve gone ashore in a lifeboat to one of Hong Kong's harbors. _

_ Everyone else are either hosed or unaccounted for and, as I have no way of contacting anyone else, I can only assume that I am the only one still alive. _

_ More importantly however… I have reason to believe the cargo has been stolen by Runners. The insect spirit egg is gone! _

_ I'll head for Hong Kong and begin investigating immediately. As such I will follow SKP protocol and initialize the deletion of my Corporate SIN. By the end of this call it will have been erased. I will attempt to find the nearest affiliated safehouse and use it as a base while I look for the missing egg. With any luck I should have something to report within a month. _

_ I will keep this commlink active for as long as po- _

The commlink went dead.    


“Drek.”   
  
Blink glared into the South China Sea, his dark brown features set in displeasure as he stared at his tumultuous reflection. His hand clenched at the broken commlink, impotent rage driving him to tears. His body quivered as the tears fell of their own accord, a muted sob escaping through grit teeth. 

“Get it together Blink! You got shit to do.”

Taking a deep breath he steeled himself, steadying the tremors that wracked his body. His rage soon cooled, though it hadn’t passed entirely. Too much had been lost for him to just ‘forget’. And it would be all too easy to paint  _ him  _ as the scapegoat, despite him not having any control over what happened.

He clutched his head and sighed; feeling dejected wouldn’t help him now. Blink turned his attention to the lifeboat he’d come in, both to assess what he had at his disposal and to, more unfortunately, destroy the last thing linking him to the ship.

He wasn’t able to save t much off the ship: a security guard’s vest, which he’d put on over his pink silk dress shirt, a couple of medkits he’d found in the emergency cache in his room, a flashbang, a talisman he couldn’t use, a couple of fetishes that he had no use for, a drek Fichetti pistol with only a couple of clips, and some credsticks that he’d managed to swipe from his room before it sank with the rest of his things beneath the waves. 

He felt a pang of regret as he thought about what he’d lost, most of which was rather high-end. He could’ve used some of it now He’d find a talismonger to hock the talisman and fetishes off to, since he couldn’t use any of them. Plus it never hurt to have some more nuyen.

He stifled a gag as he pocketed the pistol, a wave of nausea nearly overtaking him as the smells of the harbor overwhelmed his senses. It was all he could do to keep from keeling over. 

The sea looked especially foreboding; not surprising, considering all that just happened. Exploding ships were crazy like that. 

Blink inspected the lifeboat once more to see if there was anything he could use. Finding nothing he placed the broken commlink inside and kicked the boat out onto the sea, letting the currents drag it away from him. Once he felt it was far enough away Blink focused power into a ball in the palm of his hand and launched it at the drifting lifeboat, which exploded in a vibrant display of metal and fire. 

Blink watched impassively as the splintered remains of the lifeboat drifted apart, the larger bits sinking beneath the waves while the smaller ones were carried away by the current. 

He sighed, glad that was taken care of, and straightened out his vest. He then turned and stared at the unfinished building that towered directly above him, his gaze falling then to the large fence that surrounded it. The rest of the waterfront was similarity littered with fenced-in buildings in various states, ranging from ‘just started constructing, so please stay away’ to ‘we just finished firing our contractors and are now looking for wageslaves, inquire within’. 

A glance at the materials used for construction let him know that he was in the industrial zone, a fair bit away from the mainland, with its blinding neon lights and overcrowded walkways and delicious soykaf...

His stomach growled, a vapid emptiness crying out for attention. It was time to go.

Blink didn’t run very fast, due to equal parts expensive shoes and unfamiliar terrain.  He looked around every corner, eyes darting around wildly as he pushed through alleys and around buildings. 

His movements sped up, slowly but surely, the world around him steadily fading into a blur as he blazed through the backways and alleys that dotted the harbor. How much of it was due to hunger or weariness he didn’t know, but a part of him reveled in what he was doing, and despite his increased speed he had no problem making out the things around him. Not the assorted trash bins, not the streetlights, not the rats that scurried about; nothing escaped his notice.

He was doing it. For the first time in what felt like forever, he was  _ Running.  _ If only Mrs. Kubota could see him now!

He turned a corner and came to a stop just around a set of large grey buildings. Behind him was a large fence, behind which was the same sea he’d been trying to leave behind _. _ Some distance in his front were three rough looking gangers.

They were saying something he couldn’t make it out. Slowly he closed the distance, being as careful as he could to remain in the shadows. He spotted three figures emerging from the shadows of the alley on his right. The gangers hadn’t noticed them, and were still going about their business.

Blink took a step back and hissed when his shoe scraped against a nearby trash bin. Three sets of eyes turned into him. The shadowy-figures to his right ducked the closed market stalls.

_ Drek…! _

The next words out of Blink’s mouth were not his wisest. “Hey, I don’t suppose you chummers know where I can get some non-fat soylaf at this hour?” 

Three sets of guns whirled out of three different suits and unleashed a hailstorm of bullets in Blink’s general direction. With a frightened yip Blink threw a bolt of lightning at the center ganger, the force of the impact against his chest sent him careening into bike behind him. He then jumped behind a nearby trash bin, but not before getting nicked on his chin and cheek. He placed his hands on his ears and chin and healed them as he assessed his situation. Bile arose within his throat as a frightened tremor circuited through his body.

It was then that a wave of fear descended on him, bringing with it a clarity that was impossible to ignore. He’d misread the situation. He saw that now. With trembling hands he reached for his gun. Hands still shaking he pulled it out and put it in front of him and tried to still his breath. He needed to calm down!

A powerbolt exploded on the ground right next to him, sending a spray of concrete flying into this face. His concentration was broken. He frantically looked around for somewhere else to be. The trash bin had taken quite a few hits. He spotted a cement bin across the way from him. Right in the line of fire.

Gritting his teeth Blink focused on the spot he wanted to be and then  _ blinked,  _ disappearing from behind his rapidly-diminishing cover and reappearing behind the cement bin in the same position he was in behind the trash bin. He turned to look at the trash bin and grinned; they were still shooting the trash bin. They hadn’t seen him move. Blink used the opportunity to heal his foot and plan his next move.

There was an explosion behind him, followed by a frantic death rattle. Tilting his head above his new cover Blink saw the ganger he’d struck laid out against the bike with a burning hole in his chest. He then saw another collapse onto the ground under a hail of gunfire, clutching at his ruined throat. The fallen ganger pushed himself off the ground and turned to shoot in the direction of those three figures Blink had seen earlier. 

Now was his chance! Blink pulled out his pistol and fired at the ganger, hitting him in the head. The light left his eyes before his head hit the ground. 

There was a few moments of silence, save for the rapid beating of Blink’s own heart. Keeping both hands around his pistol he slowly stepped out of cover. The two gangers he’d taken out were still where they laid, but number three was still unaccounted for. A glint on his right side caught his attention. He followed it behind a bin to find that it was on a ganger’s right hand… which was the only part of him that didn’t look like it’d been through a woodchipper.

Blink immediately dropped to his knees and upchucked all over a nearby bench. He’d forgotten how bloody firefights could be.  Blink’s ears picked up heavy footsteps in front of him and then felt the barrel of a gun against his head.

“Move and you’re dead.” The rich baritone made the threat much more threatening.

The tremors returned more fiercely than before. A cold sweat formed on Blink’s brow. Blink tilted his eyes upwards and caught a glimpse of a heavy flak jacket and a rigid jawline set in apparent displeasure.

The voice spoke up again. “Drop it.” It took a moment for Blink to realize that ‘it’ was his gun, which he immediately dropped onto the ground.“Now I’m about to ask you some questions and you’d damn well better answer them, unless you want to end up like your friends here.”

The words left his mouth before Blink could stop himself .“They’re not my friends.” The gun barrel slid off of his head and fired at the ground by his feet and then returned to the side of his face.

“That was your first, and last warning: do not speak unless I say so! Do you understand?” The gun barrel was slid down the side of his face until it was pressing not-so-gently into his cheek. It burned. “Nod once if you do.”    


Blink nodded. “Very good. We’re getting somewhere. Now, can you stand?”

He nodded again. “Good. Now get up.” 

The barrel eased off of Blink’s face, though it still faced him. Obediently he stood up, his hands up, palms out. Once he was up he just as slowly tilted his eyes -and only his eyes- up the barrel of the gun and to the face of the one holding it. 

He had two tusks protruding out of both sides of his mouth and a pair of red shades adorned an otherwise hard face, obscuring his eyes. What little hair he had on his head was cut into a small mohawk.

The ork sneered at Blink. “That’s better! And would you look at that, your hands are up too. And palms out? Oh what manners! You see so little of them in the streets. I take it it’s not your first time?” 

Blink’s eyes narrowed at the ork’s mocking tone. He once again nodded his head, the tremors fading in the face of anger.  From the look of him he was Lone Star. For a brief moment he considered asking for his help but decided against it. The ork seemed more likely to shoot him than help him.

“That’s what I thought.” Blink felt the ork draw closer, felt his hot breath sting his eyes. “You didn’t seem like you’re from around here. What’s a handsome guy like you doing in this part of town?”  _ Handsome?  _ What was up with this guy? “Sprawling or lost or a little of both?” 

A second voice chimed in, seemingly from Blink’s back. “That’s enough Duncan. Obviously he’s not with them, or else he’d have shot at us too.”

“So you say, but that doesn’t mean that he isn’t dangerous.” The ork, ‘Duncan,’ jammed the gun in Blink’s face again. “He just looks like trouble. Can’t be too sure with these suits.” Blink sighed. He  _ so  _ didn’t have time for this. He needed to get to a safehouse now!

“So do you but I keep you around anyway.” The voice was soft but firm, with a sassy inflection that made Blink think of softer times and warmer places.

With a snort Duncan withdrew the gun from Blink’s head. Blink let out a long overdue sigh; he’d had enough excitement for one night, and the last thing he needed was to deal with some ill-tempered rent-a-cop. “You’re free to turn around but I’d suggest keeping your hands up. Wouldn’t it be a shame to have something happen so soon after a fight.”

With a final glance at Duncan, who returned his gaze with a imperceptible head-flick Blink turned around. He took in the immediate presence of a wry woman. She had pale skin and icy blue eyes. Like Duncan she sported a mohawk, only hers shone with a variety of colors and was much larger. She regarded him with the unceasing gaze of a prisoner, though her smile was pleasant enough. 

Evidently she noticed Blink staring at him. “See something you like?” Her soft voice held none of the distrust in her eyes, though Blink could now see that her smile didn’t quite reach them. 

“N-no it’s just… I don’t often see someone with hair like yours.” When it doubt tell the truth. He decided to follow that up with a compliment. “The colors I mean. The mohawk I see a lot of. It’s very pretty.”

She looked him up and down. “You should get out more.” A statement, not a question. So she didn’t rise to that. This one could be trouble. 

A familiar sounding gasp from Blink’s right drew his attention away from the icy bombshell in front of him. Turning his head he took in a familiar bob-cut and pointy eared combo. He couldn’t stop the smile that crossed his face. It was just what he needed right now. A friend. 

The elf regarded him with wide-eyed astonishment and an even bigger grin . “I knew it!” The smile on the elf’s face was brighter than he’d remembered it to be.“Zip!?”

“Hey Carter,” Blink said, smiling softly at the lithe elf woman, who beamed at the mention of her name. “It’s been some time. And it’s Blink now.”


	2. Hard Pass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Duncan... isn't the most trusting of people.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit: *Made some major edits to the story. If you can please reread at your earliest convenience. Thanks!*

A dark scowl crossed Duncan’s face as he watched this guy - _ Blink or Zip or whatever the hell he called himself _ \- get cozy with Carter. Luckily his goggles concealed his anger; they’d saved him a lot of trouble that way. Where did this guy come from? What was he doing here? What was his objective? 

And why the frag was Carter  _ hugging him _ ?

Behind them his sister’s eyes bounced between Blink and Carter, a soft glint in her gaze which Duncan had come to recognize as the look she got whenever she was analyzing a situation. Duncan sighed. It’d been entirely too long since he’d last seen her, and despite her new look -Raymond would have  _ never  _ allowed her to dye her hair- she was still the same kid from the Barrens. Duncan, on the other hand, was all too aware of how much he’d changed.

“I’ve missed you,” Duncan felt himself winch. She  _ missed  _ him?  Had she really said that? “I haven’t heard from you since you left Seattle, except that you got a corp gig. Did everything turn out alright?” His brow furrowed as he picked up on the subtle concern in her voice. Apparently the two of them had some history.

“Sorry.” he heard Blink say in the crisp of Carter’s neck, a soft tenor in the night. He wasn’t much taller than she was, Duncan noticed. He was thin in the sense, and his dark skin contrasted quite nicely with his amber eyes. He was skinnier than any suit Duncan had seen, the oversized security vest hanging off of his thin frame. Then there were his shoes. Seriously, who goes running in loafers? Idiots, that’s who. 

“What can I say?” Blink was still talking, “I went corp. Hadn’t had the time to check on anyone from Seattle. Or Redmond. It’s been a crazy ride.”

Redmond? No way! There was no way this sprawling twitch could’ve survived that radioactive cesspit. He must’ve been passing through and met her there while she was investigating something.

Duncan watched with narrowed eyes as Blink pulled out of the hug and stared at Carter, a twinkle in his amber eyes. It was all Duncan could do to stop himself wrenching the bastard away from her.

“It’s a long way from Seattle, Blink. What are you doing here?” Carter’s tone had that soft quality to it that came only rarely, and even then it was only to people she trusted. This was getting better and better...

Carter pulled away from Blink to look up at Duncan. “Something got you down rookie? You look like you ate something that didn’t agree with you.” She sounded much more amused than she looked. Her tone hadn’t changed, despite having taken her eyes away from this wannabe runner who’d nearly ruined their rendezvous with their father.

“We really need to be going. Don’t know if the old man’s gonna be at the place or not.” Duncan never lifted his gaze from his sister’s pale face as she bit back a laugh. He narrowed his eyes at his smaller sibling. “Shut up Kris.”

Kris covered her mouth. “Sorry Duncan.” She held her hands in a placating gesture even though he knew her well enough to know that she was anything but sorry. “It’s just that I’d forgotten how difficult it was for you to meet new people.”

“So then it’s not just me?” Duncan winched at that. Now Carter was in on it too. Blink had turned to him during all of this and was regarding him with a somber expression, though Duncan saw no threat or disdain in his eyes, only mild curiosity.

“Can we focus on what we came for?” Duncan growled, his irritation growing with each passing moment. “We need to get to Raymond.” He turned to the Runner. “Hey you. What’s your name?” Duncan hadn’t missed the way his eyes darted around as they were all talking and he’d be damned if he let anything get in the way.

Rich eyes turned to gaze at Duncan. “I’m Bli-”

Duncan cut him off with a snort. “Not your street name, punk. Your real one.” 

“It’s Benjamin.” He spoke softly. Duncan noticed how much more apprehensive ‘Benjamin’ was. Good. Keep him off guard, get proper answers. 

“Well then  _ Benjamin. _ ” Duncan sneered,  “I got some more questions for you. What do you know about Hong Kong?”

“Ben’s fine.” He looked considerably more frazzled by the questioning “Not much. You see, I just got here and-”

Duncan cut him off. “You don’t know your front from your ass.” Carter had stirred then, and gently called out for him to stop. He didn’t. “We’ll keep going  _ Benjamin.  _ Do you know anything about the people we’d just taken out?”

Rich amber eyes started to narrow. “No.” 

Duncan flicked his fingers at the nearby stalls. “Do you know anything about this place?” 

Benjamin surprised Duncan with a growl. “I just realized I don’t have time for this!” He turned to Carter. “Can you please explain to me what’s going on?”

“Duncan, stop!” Carter stepped in front of Benjamin, her face flushed red with rage. She put her hand on Duncan’s chest and looked him straight in the eye. “I’ve got this. Relax.”

Duncan let out a low grunt but stepped back with a nod, the crimson hue of his glasses falling onto the wannabe-runner. 

Carter pulled her hand off of Duncan’s chest and turned to Blink. “To be fair, Blink, Duncan’s got a point. Running through alleys and getting into fights. I didn’t know that you were still doing that. I thought you put that behind you.”

Duncan watched Blink struggle to answer, his mouth opening and closing without anything coming out. Carter cocked an eyebrow at him. “Something wrong Blink? You know you can talk to me about anything.”

That seemed to open him up. “Sorry Carter it’s just…” He clutched his head and sighed. “There’s just so, so much I have to do right now that I don’t even know where to start. And if it wasn't obvious I’m out of practice.”   


“Yeah, it was obvious.” Duncan chimed in.

Carter whipped her head towards her partner. “Duncan!”

Duncan regarded her from behind his crimson shades. “He’d have been skragged if we’d have been anywhere else. You saw that. And now that he’s being questioned, he chokes?” Duncan pulled out his rifle. “That’s more than a little bit suspicious. Forgive me if I’m not going to trust him right off the bat.”

“He’s right Carter. There’s something that doesn’t add up.” Leave it to Kris to pick up on what was really important. She turned to Blink with a resigned look on her face. “Sorry chummer but we don’t know you that well. And we’re in no position to vet you, so... help us out here.”

There was a long beat before Benjamin spoke. “So that’s how it is then?” Kris shrugged. “That’s fine. I can see where you’re coming from.” He turned to Carter. “I’ve got something to take care of that I could use your help on. Whenever you’re finished with… whatever it is you’re here for can I bum you for some help?”

Duncan felt a flash of rage. Just who did this poser think he was? 

Out of the corner of his eye Duncan saw Carter cup her chin and go silent for a bit before closing her eyes and sighing. “Sorry Blink. I’m gonna have to say no.” She patted Duncan on the shoulder. “I’ve got to keep this guy in line. Sorry.”

Duncan was elated. He turned with what he knew was a smug grin to Benjamin, who simply stared at Carter. The dejection Duncan saw in Benjamin’s eyes diminished his bliss. Only a bit though.

Duncan watched as Blink opened his eyes and smiled sadly at Carter. “I figured as much. It was worth a shot.” He sighed. “

Carter placed a hand on Blink’s arm. “You gonna be okay?”

“Y-yeah. Yeah. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.” Blink visibly brightened, smiling a smile that was just a bit less sad. “And I can be of some assistance, perhaps.”

Kris scoffed. “You? How?”

Blink turned to regard her for a bit before a huge grin broke out on his face. “Lookout.”

Duncan cocked an eyebrow.  _ Lookout?  _ Duncan watched a similar grin grow on Carter’s face. Beside him Kris looked as suspicious as Duncan felt. 

Blink turned around and pointed a finger at the roof of a nearby building. “I’ll go up there and scope the area. Let you know if there’s an ambush or anything like that waiting for you.”

“That’d be great but I can’t ask you to do that.” Carter’s grin started to fade. “You’ve got your own thing to worry about. I can’t ask you to go out of your way just for us.”

Blink’s eyes twinkled. “You’re not getting in the way, C. And I can afford to be late. I can do this and still make good time. Besides, I owe you all for saving me back there.”

“No I don’t imagine it being much for you if you’re a bit late.” Duncan turned to regard his partner. It wasn’t like her to be cryptic. “Just so long as you’re okay with it. You need our comm signals?”

Blink shook his head. “No dice. My commlink got trashed. That’s why I volunteered to be lookout. Don't worry, I'll be close by. And if I see anything I'll let you know.”

Carter chuckled softly. “I'll bet you will. Just be careful okay?” She then surprised Duncan by hugging Blink. “ You tend to get into trouble pretty easily.”

Duncan watched Blink return Carter’s embrace and sigh through a smile. “And you’ll be there to get me out of it, just like before. Don’t worry, I’ll stay safe.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” Carter playfully growled. “Cause if you don’t then my partner and I’ll have to have a chat with you.” She pulled away. Duncan was positive that if Blink did anything to make them late then he'd do more than just ‘chat’.

Blink smiled at her. “I’ll be close by, so if I see anything I’ll come let you know. Be seeing you!” He offered his hand to Kris, who shook it with a smile, and to Duncan, who glowered at him and folded his arms over his chest with a grunt. 

Blink retracted his hand with a sigh and a shrug before turning to wink at Carter and then taking off. Duncan watched him go with a smile, grateful that he was finally gone. He walked up to Carter. “You got strange tastes in friend Sarge.” Duncan was slightly taken aback by the bemused look she sent his way. “It’s true. This guy comes out of nowhere, just about gets himself killed in a fight and then suddenly you’re hugging him n’ shit.” Duncan let his words sink in before he continued. “Who the hell is he anyways? And what the hell kind of name is Blink or Zip?”

Carter blinked up at Duncan, and shifted knowingly in the direction that Blink had taken off in. Following her gaze Duncan turned and followed her gaze, just as Blink reached the buildings on the other side of the marketplace. Duncan’s eyes grew as he saw Blink stop, look up and then turn into what could only be described as emerald energy and zipped up to the roof of the nearest building like a bolt of lightning, zipping again once he was up there across the roof, going out of sight.

Duncan felt a hand push up on his jaw and looked down to see Carter regarding him with the smuggest look on her face. “I know that’s something you don’t see everyday Rookie but you should really keep your mouth shut or else you’ll attract flies.” 

“Has he always been able to do that?”  


“Yeah but only in short distances. He has to be able to see where he’s going.It’s odd though. He wasn’t able to do that zip thing last time I saw him.” 

Kris was quick to pick up on it though. “Then he's gotten better? Do you think he trained? He didn't look like he's trained.”  It looked like she was as curious as Duncan was, though she was much better at hiding it.

“He wasn’t able to move like that last time I saw him. Before he could only blink from place to place, not flow like lightning up buildings and across rooftops. He must’ve improved on his technique since I last saw him. He always didn’t like to remain still.”

Understandable; if Duncan had been packing a skill like that, you’d better believe that he’d use it “Why was he called Blink before then? Sounds like Zip’s more appropriate now.”

“I’m not sure. If I recall correctly he said something about not choosing the name for himself. I’m willing to bet that he didn’t choose this name either.” Carter shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. Apparently she wasn’t too concerned about the particulars of his name. Which, to be fair, was understandable, given how outlandish some runners’ names tended to be.

Duncan turned to give Kris a look just as she did him. “He’s got the right idea though,” Carter let out, as she turned in the direction of the chain-link fence they were about to go into before this all started. “I’ll go on ahead and scope things out. I’ll let you know if I see anything strange.” 

Carter took off after that, through the large hole in the chain-link. Duncan watched her go before turning to the spot on the roof Blink was last seen on. He was aware of Kris walking up beside him to regard the same spot as he did, though he didn’t acknowledge her being there. It was easier that way, at least for him, to continue on as they have been.

“He’s really something, isn’t he? I’m surprised that he hasn’t been poached by a corp.” It was obvious that Kris was trying to break the ice. He hadn’t seen her in some time but it seems that she was still a peacemaker. It was a damn shame that she didn’t stay; she might’ve made a damn fine cop. And then maybe they’d be on better terms. And maybe he could trust her.

“Yep.” Duncan was still a little uncomfortable with her being there. Her previous whereabouts were still unknown and with Raymond missing he thought it best to keep her at arm's length until they were able to find him. Then, and only then, would he consider hearing her out. 

“He must have quite a story.” She chuckled, a soft merriment he hadn’t heard in some time -and that would’ve been welcome while he was in the Academy. “Wiz…”

“No doubt.” Short clipped answers weren’t what he wanted to say but they were short on time. Raymond could’ve been anywhere. And this conversation wasn’t getting them any closer to finding him.

Duncan could tell when she’d had enough when she turned to him and, out of the corner of his eyes he could see that she’d gotten that hard I-ain’t-got-time-for-this-shit look on her face that she put on whenever he or any of the old gang were being especially difficult. 

Back in the Barrens. Back when he could still trust her.

“Duncan we need to talk,” Kris began softly.

“Hey guys,” Duncan bit back a smile. Carter did always have perfect timing. “Everything looks good up here.”

She must’ve seen Kris’s face, because the smile dropped from her face and a hard gaze took its place as she regarded both siblings, her eyes darting between the two. “What’s wrong Rookie? Did something happen?”

“It’s nothing Sarge. Just clearing my head. You go on ahead. We’ll catch up.” Duncan hadn’t liked lying to her but honestly it was easier than telling the truth at the moment.

Carter looked like she wanted to say more but didn’t, opting to nod her head and take back again. Duncan waited until Carter was out of earshot. “We’d better go. Don’t want to keep either of them waiting.” 

And with that he took off, away from Kris. He ignored the hurt look on her face as made his way through the chain-link fence. He could tell that it was all coming to a head, that he’d have to face it soon but for now he put that out of his mind. Raymond had been there for him. Raised him. Helped him get through the academy. Been there for him when the only thing he got for being an ork was ridicule and scorn.

Duncan bit back the tears as he thought about his sister. He wanted to trust Kris, so much that it hurt; to have things to back to the way they were before. But she abandoned him. For 8 years. No notes, no calls. No communication of any kind. And now she shows up, out of the blue, and expects things to be the same as they were before.

No. That was not happening. 

Duncan stopped just south of where Carter had seated herself on a nearby bench. Now this was someone who’d been there for him. Someone he could trust. She’d been there for him when he had no one, had taken him under her wing and taught him that there was more out there than being angry at the world, no matter how justified the circumstances. That you could be a better person and bring great change into the world. 

Which was more than he could say about Kris…

She smiled at him when she saw him -Carter, not Kris- and waved him over. He grinned back at her. It was comforting to know that someone had your back, and to know they knew you’d have theirs. It was something he thought Kris’d understood; after all she was the one who’d taught him that. 

Oh well. At least he had Carter. And there wasn’t anything that’d keep him from keeping her safe...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you Ghostfriendly for beta-reading!


	3. Hong Kong Nights and Unwelcome Sights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we learn that life hates Blink.  
> Plus, a change in moniker!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit: *Made some major edits to the story. If you can please reread at your earliest convenience. Thanks!*

From his vantage point he was able to make out everything that was going on. Sparing a glance into the alley he saw Carter and her friends coming up behind him. He watched as they left for the streets, a smile crossing his face as he watched Carter wave him off. 

He saw Kris’s face turn to him but didn’t see her wave and Duncan didn’t even do that. Their nonchalance bothered Blink more than he’d like to admit. Didn’t they see how much danger they were in? Duncan was the only one who seemed to be taking their safety seriously, his head darting to his left and right as he slowly proceeded down the street. 

Blink wasn’t sure what to make of him. He seemed solid but there was just something unsettling about him. Like he was a powder keg or something. Whether or not the other one could take care of herself wasn’t proven but Blink had an idea she could. Still, it was a welcome sight.

He  _ blinked  _ onto the rooftop nearest to the three on the street, keeping them in sight. A quick glance around registered nothing of note, at which point he blinked to the next roof. 

A flash of light off of a building some distance from where he was caught his eye. There it was again, behind a gaudy neon sign. Sparing a glance at the group on the ground, and finding that they were making for another group that was positioned not too far from them Blink made for the light. 

He came on a lone, heavily armed gunman wearing the uniform of the Hong Kong Police Force. He was laying flat on his stomach, his hands on a massive sniper rifle and his attention locked onto the target in his scope. Following its sight Blink could make barely make out Carter and the others. Oh. Oh no. Oh hell no! Not on his watch!

Both hands began to crackle with electric energy. Blink prepared to fire it at the fragging badge.But he wasn’t fast enough. in one fluid motion the sniper had spun up onto one knee and pointed the gun at Blink. He shouted something in Cantonese and fired. Blink threw the charged bolt one after the other. The shot just missed Blink’s face. The bolt hit the gun, smashing it to pieces. Blink’s second bolt blasted a smoldering hole in the man’s chest. The light left his eyes before his body hit the ground.

Suddenly a siren’s wail rose from the street, with activity on the rooftops to Blink’s left and front. He smacked the side of his face. Of course, a cop would be wired! 

A patch of fear arose within Blink’s gut, the gravity of what he’d just done caught up to him. He’d just jeopardized Carter and the other two. And he only wanted to help them. He glanced to his left and front and an idea formed. He’d have to lead them away! 

He glanced to his left and front, catching sight of several pairs of large bodies coming towards him from either side, the light of the bright neon signs all bouncing off the heavy body armor and heavy weapons they were wielding. 

He needed to get away.  _ Now. _

Turning to his right Blink broke off into a dead sprint, steeled against the growing fear that threatened to swallow him whole. He ran to the edge of the roof, took a running jump and, seeing the top of the roof of the building just in front of him,  _ blinked  _ onto that roof, keeping the momentum. 

He grunted as he hit the roof in a crouch, a small surge of pain shooting up his legs. Not wanting to lose any momentum -or get caught- he ignored the pain and took off. Once again he made it to the edge of the roof, jumped and  _ blinked.  _ The next roof was even to the one he’d just jumped from; his feet hit the ground with much less force, letting him keep the momentum and to continue to run. 

He did this several more times, each time obtaining a different change; the next roof was higher and further, necessitating the expenditure of even more energy. His breathing grew heavier, the color draining from his face. The roof after that was much lower, though it was closer than the previous one.  _ Blinking  _ saw him crack a bone in his left leg upon hitting the concrete. He stopped to heal his leg, hissing through grit teeth. 

Police sirens blared behind him, prompting him to pick himself up and run on half-healed legs. He ran-limped across the next building, ducking behind a rooftop doorway to finish healing his leg when he tripped and hit the rooftop with his face with a loud crunch.   


Bullets smashed the edges of the doorway just inches from him, shards of  concrete flying into the blood that trickled down his unhealed face. He took off once again, the howling wind stinging the wounds on his face.

He sprinted across the square rooftop, the pitter patter of his name brand loafers against the cold, unforgiving concrete echoing in his head. Blood poured out of an open wound over his right eye. Storm clouds rumbled overhead, flurries of rolling darkness periodically illuminated by the fog lights, searchlights and neon signs that adorned the buildings and billboards that surrounded the harbor.

He heard voices all around him and saw searchlights rising from the alleyway below. He smiled grimly, and charged a powerbolt that he then threw at the darkened form that rose from the ladder down to the alleyway, onto the roof in front of him. Survival was the priority right now and  _ they  _ hadn’t been so considerate so why should he? 

The smile fell from his face as the blur turned out to be a small police drone, and he watched his powerbolt blow it to pieces. A wave of panic washed over him as he came up to it. He had run too fast to be able to stop in time from colliding with the debris. Closing his eyes Blink enchanted his very being. his body flickered and faded into a human-shaped flurry of bright lights. 

In his new form he  _ zipped  _ up and over the flying remnants of the trash bin, just barely avoiding the bits that were shooting about like shrapnel, leaving behind a trail of flickering lights that quickly faded He started to feel himself getting weak, his luminescent being starting to flicker and fade. He’d sailed over one rooftop and was about to cross another, higher one, when his form shifted once more, the multitude of lights fading away, the form of a man taking shape once more. 

A man that was still in motion...

The momentum with which he’d  _ zipped  _ across the sky hadn’t waned in the slightest, and the rapidly-rising roof came up quite quickly to meet him. He hit the roof with a loud thud, winching as pain shot up his legs. With a groan and a curse Blink pulled himself onto his feet and pushed himself forward, ignoring the pain in his feet. It had started to rain, the water making the rooftops slippery and unsafe. He’d slipped and fallen several times while trying to make a run across the roof, pondering whether or not he should just take his chances and just  _ zip  _ as far and as fast as he could, his lack of energy the deciding factor against that plan.

The sirens and voices drew closer. He ran to the edge of the roof, jumped and  _ blinked _ . He reappeared mid-air, not too far from where he’d jumped, but without enough momentum to reach the next roof.

He collided with the wall opposite the one he came from with a hard thud, mere inches from the roof he’d intended to reach. He then fell several stories onto an awning, making a sizable dent in the cheap aluminum. Groaning painfully he turned slightly over to his left side, just far enough out of the indention he’d made to slide down the awning and onto the ground. 

Tears streamed down Blink’s face, collected in the rain along with the blood coming out of his broken arm, and flowed onto the cold unforgiving street and then down a nearby storm drain. 

The world around him came and went, his vision black when it isn’t blurry. He could not feel his left arm and was all-too aware of his right, which was alight with pain. He could hear footsteps coming behind him, just as he saw a multitude of flashing red and blue lights out of his right eye in the street on the other side of the alley . 

He caught a glimpse of the storm drain that’s been collecting his blood and tears. He reached for it with his right hand, only to stop when he hears it crack. He cries out in pain, an involuntary response, as his arm falls agonised and useless in front of him.

The pain began to press against his consciousness and his vision began to fade. Lights, sounds, smells. Even the earlier pain faded into nothing. 

He smiled at that; he could’ve done without the pain. It was all he’d had and he’d had  enough of it. This life; it had been a nightmare. One he was all to willing to wake up from. With a contented sigh he closed his eyes and let the darkness overtake him, lulling him into the empty contentment of its sweet siren song.

________________________

A stark light shines within Blink’s face, a lifeline in the darkness. He slowly came to moaning in agony. His entire being burned with pain, but at least now he could feel his left side. He clutched at his face, feeling the bandages that covered his head wound.

Memories of his jaunt came rushing back in a jumbled mess. He opened his eyes and saw a dim lit room. Beneath him were what felt like the silk sheets of a bed with soft pillows. His body, however, was another story; he’d been stripped to boxers and suspected the pain would hit very soon.. He saw at least his arm was in one piece. He flexed it and winched, grateful that he could still feel anything at all. Drawing his hands along his sides uncovered bandages that when he really looked at them, covered his entire torso. Whoever had healed him hadn’t done a good job but why? Why go through all this trouble? Would it really have been too much to just let him die…?

“Ah. I see that you are awake. Good. Though now might not be the time to start pleasuring yourself.”

The voice, high and nasal, brought Blink sharply back into reality. Sitting on an expensive-looking bench to Blink’s right was an older lady of chinese descent. Her long hair, a rich black with harsh grey streaks, was into a bun over the back of her head, held into place with a long golden pin. In her mouth was a large cigarette holder; gold, with an black handle. The unflinching gaze she fixed on Blink that made him feel like a mouse in the middle of a tiger’s den. It was then he realized that maybe the botched healing might have been more than a little deliberate. 

“I imagine that you might have some questions.”  The woman’s overall manner befitted the most hard-assed of prison wardens. She took a long drag of her smoke. “But rest assured, they will be answered in due time. For now just know that you are safe.” 

The lack of warmth in her deep black eyes told Blink a completely different story, one he didn’t feel was in his best interest to address. Still… he felt he had to say  _ something.  _ “I suppose that I should thank you Ms…?” He let his voice hang on that last word and gestured towards her with his right arm, winching as it reopened a half-healed wound. 

His… benefactor regarded him with a crooked grin. “It’s Mrs. Cheng. But please, call me Auntie. It’s so much more informal, wouldn’t you agree?”

There was a hint of malice in her tone that was completely divorced from her words. Blink’s heart sank. Every fiber of Blink’s told him that this was someone he did not want to cross. He tried not to let it show on his face, but he was suddenly very, very afraid. 

“Auntie.” He took a deep breath, winching as it made his chest hurt. “If you don’t mind my asking, what happened to me? When did I get here? How long have I been out?”

“You’ve been out for about a day sweetie,” she cooed, her voice saccharine sweet, “You had us very worried. The injuries you sustained from your little jaunt were quite severe; it was all poor Ambrose could do to put you back into one piece.” Blink had now woken enough to notice the two Triad heavies guarding the door of his sickroom, naturally armed. The ball was very much in Cheng’s court, and he knew it.“Who knows what those awful brutes within the HKPF would have done to you had our captain not found you and-”

“Someone found me?” He hadn’t meant to interrupt but the words were out there, beyond his ability to retract. The smile on Auntie’s face froze. Auntie’s eyes narrowed into little black splinters at his words. 

“Do be a dear and allow me to finish, won’t you? I understand that you’d had a rough evening and I’d hate to see something happen to you.” Her voice, cold as the unforgiving sea, held none of the warmth her words might have otherwise implied. “You can do that, won’t you?”

Blink chose to simply meet her gaze and nod.

A smile crossed her face that did not reach her eyes, void of any warmth or comfort. “Very good. So very good. There just might be hope for you yet.” She took a long drag of her cigarette and tapped the ashened end into a small tray on a nightstand to her right. “You made quite the impression with your jumping from rooftop to rooftop. The police channels are ablaze with stories of an imperceptible figure who seemingly flitted through the air, disappearing and reappearing just out of sight, never seeming to hit the ground. They were quite upset about not getting a proper shot of you. That’s quite a talent you’ve got there, being so elusive.”

Auntie stared long and hard at Blink. “But there’s something you must understand little one; as impressive as your talents might very well be, you are still an unknown quality. Do understand, it isn’t that I don’t trust you, but rather, that I don’t know you. Such a thing is easy to rectify, however, given time and proper communication.”

Blink watched her take another long drag of her cigarette. “So Blink, could you please be so kind as to explain why you felt it necessary to avoid being seen by the police?”

Blink’s blood ran cold; his eyes went wide, as a cold sweat fell over a frozen smile. One of the guards pointed at Blink and chuckled, and said something at the other guard, who grinned at him and winked. 

Auntie’s smile was mirthlessly smug. “You may speak now,” she said, gesturing with her cigarette holder. 

Another gulp. “I...I.” Frag, he was so scared it was hard to speak! “I’m not from here-”

“Obviously.” Her tone was as flat as her interjection was sharp. “Stop quibbling and get down to it, shitbrick.”

Blink swallowed hard. So he wasn’t allowed to die just yet “I’d come here on a ship. We had some… cargo that I was supposed to watch over.” He decided to omit the insect spirit egg. If she’d known she’d probably kill him then and there. “Long story short, some Runner came onto the ship and took off with it, but not before they wired it to sink. I barely got away. It was a real trip.”

“I’d imagine.” She gestured for him to continue. 

“So I went aground. I needed to get allies and I needed to report what happened. I found some people but-”

Auntie cut him off. “Tell me, were these people a large ork with an attitude and a body like a brick shithouse, and a young woman with wild hair and a smartass mouth?” 

Blink’s face brightened at that. “Yes,” he exclaimed, “That’s them! They were with a friend mine, a cop named Carter.”

Kindly’s expression turned to stone. “She’s dead.” Kindly stared dispassionately at Blink as he felt his world collide with a train. “No use hiding it. Apparently you and the ork have the same problem; she’s dead boy. And no one gives a damn about her and we all have more important things to worry about. Now, I suspect that your friends weren’t able to help you. Is that correct?” When Blink nodded she continued. “What happened next?”   


Blink told Auntie about what had happened, with the rooftop running and the gunman and everything else. Auntie’s eyes never left Blink during his rambling explanation. “That is quite the story, little one. You seemed to have quite the ordeal.” She took a long drag of her cigarette.”But then you should probably have expected that. I’m going out on a limb here and guess that you’re some kind of company man. Is this right?”

Blink’s blood went cold. Auntie sneered at him. “Thought so. You were very well dressed, packing potent magics and you were on a Saeder-Krupp ship. You’re either a company man, a runner with a sense for fashion that goes beyond your means, or the unluckiest son of a bitch to ever step into Hong Kong. As it stands right now I’m opting for the latter. ”

“Make no mistake. It takes tremendous talent to be able to elude the HKPF all by yourself. Talent, Blink, that you seem to possess. And as fate would have it, I am in need of such talents. And Blink…” her beady black eyes narrowed, “it would seem that you have your own secrets. Whatever this ‘cargo’ was must be very important if you can just kill the local badges. I’m guessing that it’s something so important that you would risk everything just to get it back?” She held up a hand. “Don’t worry. I won’t report your latest fuck-up. No one wants to deal with a dragon. But still… your little indiscretion has brought the heat down on me and mine. And unless you got some way of contacting your people, I’m guessing that you’re all alone. ”

Blink’s gaze narrowed; Auntie had him by the balls and she knew it.

“Fortunately for you I am magnanimous. I have a soft spot for the lost and helpless. And you, Blink seem to be both those things. As such, I would be happy to help you. I’ll provide you with the resources that you need to recover what was stolen from you. And I’ll be more than happy to use my network to get you what you need. I’ll even throw in a place for you to rest your pretty little head.”

Blink looked at her with renewed vigor. “And in exchange you want me to do certain jobs for you? Or maybe give you some insider tips on the workings of Saeder-Krupp?” He guessed ‘Kindly’ Cheng would want as much from him as she could take.

Auntie affected surprise. “Goodness. I never said that! I wouldn’t dream of getting you into more trouble.” She jutted her head at Blink. “However, if you were to… say, come across something that could possibly jeopardize my people, or find something that we could use. A supply cache. Some merch…” She left it hanging.

Blink closed his eyes and chuckled darkly. “I give you my word that I will use whatever resources available to further your endeavors.” Maybe it was better if she didn’t know about him burning his SIN.

Auntie clapped her hands together in mock joy. “Wonderful! So glad that we could come to an understanding.” With a snap of her fingers she sent one of the heavies to retrieve a large box from below the nightstand to her right and put in on Blink’s lap. Inside was everything that had been taken from him. “We’ll provide you with access to our weapons, talismongers, and a very good ripperdoc. I will have my men escort you to him to touch you up. Now I don’t suppose you have any objections to taking orders from me?” She didn’t wait for Blink to speak. “Wonderful! And do not worry, you will be compensated for your time and efforts. Now all that’s left is to get you to your new home. You can spend the night there and tomorrow you can enjoy all the wonders that Hoei has to offer. What do you say to that Sparrow?”

“Sparrow?” 

“Your new name. Picked by your rescuer. You’ll be referred to Sparrow from here on out.” Her tone brooked no argument.

Blink, or  _ Sparrow,  _ opened his mouth to speak but decided against it. “Sparrow it is. And just where will I be staying?” 

Auntie’s grin was positively wicked. “On a large ship, young Sparrow, parked just north of here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took entirely too long to write.  
> I've got to an easier way of doing things. ;_;  
> But hey, at least now I can get some rest.
> 
> Thank you Ghostfriendly for beta-reading!


	4. Running

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An introductory run with a new runner yields interesting results!
> 
> On an unrelated note I highly recommend you reread the first three chapters at your earliest convenience.  
> With the help of Ghostfriendly I've made some major edits and updates to those chapters that might confuse you if you're a long-time reader. Not to bash you guys! You're awesome!!  
> As always thank you for reading!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter takes place alongside the later-half of Hong Kong Nights and Unwelcome Sights

The Walled City was just as Gobbet had remembered it, all broken homes, broken people and broken dreams. The stench of trash and excrement combined with the stink of too many crammed-in bodies to spawn something absolutely vile. The sooner she got out of there the better.

Gobbet turned to look at the girl beside her, Kris, a wiry, pale-skinned human. She carried herself with an easy grace, relaxed and yet ready to strike at a moment’s notice. Beside her strolled a taller ork, her brother Duncan.  He walked with the steady gait of an experienced flatfoot, all straightforward and unflinching. He darted his head around as he walked, taking in everything that was going around them from behind his vivid red goggles.

“Looking for something Duncan?”

He answered without really looking at her. “Just keeping an eye out for trouble.” His thick baritone voice went well with the way he presented himself. “Ear to the ground. Can’t say I like the looks of this place. It looks terrible and smells worse. If it weren’t the only way to get our SINs erased and find Raymond I’d have never stepped into this godforsaken hellhole. ”

“Nice to see that you’re doing so well. I take it Raymond is someone important to you huh?” At the mention of Raymond the girl beside her bristled. “I say something wrong?”

“No. Yes. It’s…it’s not what you said. It’s just that I have mixed reactions to that man.” She pushed an errant strain of her vibrant hair out of her face with a hiss. “I didn’t exactly leave him on the best of terms. There’s still a lot to unpack.” That last part came out with a sigh.

“Well if I were in his shoes I’d be thrilled to know that I had you two looking after me.” That sent them both into fits of laughter, the joy seemingly out of place with the desolation surrounding them. “What? Something I said?” 

Kris was the first to speak. “I-It’s not you. It’s just that I can’t imagine Raymond being thrilled about anything. He was always so strict and stoic.”

“Well you’ll be pleased to know that in the time since you left he’s remained the same.” The vibrant smile on Duncan’s face looked decidedly out of place. “You should have seen him when I graduated from the Academy; when I walked across the stage I turned to look at him. All I got was a sharp nod.” 

Duncan’s gaze lingered just a bit on the balcony of a lit house for just long enough to let Gobbet know that he wasn’t all there at the moment. “He just sat and stared while the other parents whooped and cheered for their kids. After it was all said and done he sat me down, told me how proud of me he was and took me out to celebrate. He even bought me my first bike.” 

Then the smile faded and Duncan was back in the present. “But none of that will help us find him. Or get our SINs back.” With a growl he kicked out at some nearby can, sending it over a steaming heap of garbage and down a black space behind it, deeper into the Walled City. 

Kris was at his side, her fingers grazing his arm. “Cool it Duncan. We’ll find him. Just gotta take this one step at a time.”

It was Gobbet’s turn to chime in. “Yeah Duncan. It’s like the old saying goes: ‘slow and steady wins the race’.” (She couldn’t for the life of her recall where she’d heard it from, only that it made sense right now). Duncan tilted his head and cocked an eyebrow at her. “Hey, I’m just trying to help. Oh! Speaking of help, heads up.”

Directly in front of them was a woman on the ground, a pool of blood growing beneath her. Gobbet could tell from the parts of her clothing that weren’t covered in blood or abrasions that she wasn’t from around here; they weren’t like the patchwork threadbare outfits that was a close to an ‘outfit’ as most of the people in the Walled City were able to afford. 

Duncan was down beside her, surprising Gobbet, and was working to staunch the worst of her bleeding. The woman looked like hell; not exactly uncommon sight in the Walled City. She was much more upbeat than she looked, however.

“I gave better than I got.” She’d admitted with a wry grin. “I knew that it would be easy so I was prepared. Damn glad I did.”

“Then you have no problem explaining what you're doing here.” Gun Show had finished tending her wounds and was now staring directly in her face. Though she couldn’t see his eyes because of his goggles Gobbet was positive that he was glowering at her. “You sure as shit don't look like you're from around here. All that blood doesn’t hide the fact that you’re not as malnourished as everyone else here. What were you doing here? Did you decide to just go sprawling? There seems to be a lot of that going on.”

She explained, through gurgling blood, that she'd come from university to investigate the ‘strange qi’, as she put it, that the Walled City was apparently known to have. Not that it did her any good; apart from being attacked, she’d been unable to discover anything that everyone else didn’t already know: the Walled City was a giant cesspool.

“That’s not to say that this place isn’t completely gone but I'm no closer discovering what happened here than I was when I started.”   


Kris had knelt beside the woman with Duncan  pt and was chatting her up, subtly encouraging her to continue talking. She’d said nothing to him about patching up this completely unknown woman, despite knowing that it probably set them back and that now was probably not the best time to be philanthropic. Cheng wasn’t exactly known for her patience.

**_Be that as it may Gobbet,_ **

_ I don’t doubt that Kris is good people. It’s Duncan that I’m worried about. _

**_So quick to judge. Could it be possible that he is simply trying to make the best out of a bad situation? I seem to recall an ork who, once upon a time, was in a terrible situation of her own and could have used some help. Do you think she would be here if not for my aid?_ **

_ I get it! I get it! I’ll try to be more patient. _

**_Think of it this way: do you think Kris would willingly associate with someone who was as terrible as you perceive Duncan to be?_ **

_ Can’t say. I don’t know Kris that well. But if we’re being honest, I’d like to. _

**_Something to look forward to..._ **

“Gobbet!” Gobbet slowly returned to reality. Kris was in front of her, waving a tiny hand into her face. “You looked like you were in a trance. Are you alright?”

Gobbet grinned cheekily. “It's cool. Just having a little one-on-one with my totem. What's up?”

Kris returned Gobbet’s cheeky grin. “Duncan went ahead to check out the first spot. Knowing him he’ll try to fix it on his own. I don’t doubt he could but I’d feel better if he weren’t trying to do it alone.” She glanced around at the squalor surrounding her, her gaze falling onto a pair of rats scurrying across a nearby hill of trash, filth clinging to their matted fur. “This isn’t the best place to be alone in.”

The human’s words gave Gobbet pause, her earlier conversation with Rat still fresh in her mind. She stared blankly at Kris, who returned her gaze with an earnest, curious expression of her own, before speaking up.“Well... we’d better not keep him waiting then. I’m not comfortable with him being alone either.” Gobbet turned and waved at the bloodied woman and smiled. “We’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.” 

The woman turned and beamed. “Don’t worry; I won’t be going anywhere. Thanks for doing this. If this is successful this will help out everyone here.”

She shot her a quick two finger salute. “Null sweat!” 

Kris had already left, and was apparently waiting some distance for Gobbet, giving her a smile and then turning on heel to lead the way to her brother, who they found tending to a fusebox, growling as his meaty fingers weaved inside with a dexterity Gobbet didn't think he had.

**_This... will not work._ **

_ Sounds like you know something that I don’t. _

Gobbet didn’t get -and wasn’t surprised not to get-a response, save for an almost apologetic silence.

_...but you don’t feel like telling me what that is. _

**_I am sorry, poppet. But you know that I cannot interfere directly with what happens to you, no matter how much I would long to._ **

_...But you gave me a way out after the shootout, into the sewers. _

**_I gave you directions; you were the one to heed my instructions. They, like your magic, are for you to use as you see fit._ **

Gobbet noticed, peripherally, that Duncan had finished repairing the busted electrical wiring just as she’d finished speaking with Rat. 

Gobbet sighed; as usual she was being vague and unknowable but that didn't bother Gobbet. She'd learned long ago to follow her gut, and it'd never steered her wrong. It'd gotten her Is0bel, though it was Rat’s guidance that had allowed her to pull her out of this hellhole.

**_You needed her._ **

_ And she needed me _ .

**_Though that may have been true, it was most emphatically not my primary concern; you were._ **

Gobbet heard Kris and Duncan before she saw the two of them coming to her, both the lithe human and her much larger ork brother brushing their hands together in the universal language of ‘finished’. “So that's done,” said Kris as she stepped up to her, “What's the next item on the list?”

Duncan pulled out the list. “According to that woman there are two more places whose qi needs to be readjusted.”

Gobbet stepped up to Duncan, peaking at the list he held out in front of him. “Are any of them near the Lotus’s Den? That's where Bao is.”

Duncan leveled her with a look. “I’ve got no way of knowing that.” He handed her the list, which she took with a wry grin. Duncan was quickly becoming one of her favorite people; zero bulldrek.

“I'll be sure to keep that in mind Mr. Wu.” Grin still in place she glanced down at the list, humming as she skimmed the page. She heard Kris chuckle and her grin grew wider. “Okay so it looks like the next one will be just over there,” she pointed to a small area across from where they were, her finger flowing up a stack of smoke, “and there's another one’s deeper inside the city. Luckily it's right next to the entrance so we won't have to go too far out of our way to get to it.”

“Sounds like a plan. But what about those scraggly-looking blokes over there? They look like they could be trouble.”

“We'll just have to avoid them. Unless you've decided to put them out of their misery.”

“I don't know about you ladies but I'd rather not get in the bad side of the Triad boss who's got our backs to the wall; but that's just me.”

Kris blinked and turned to Gobbet. “He's right; no point in antagonizing the only one who can burn our SINs. We won't get far with that APB out on us. Can you lead us around them, Gobbet?”

A rush of pride arose within Gobbet. Stepping out in front she then tuned to them and beckoned. “Sure can! Follow me!”

______

Gobbet's appetites had always run the gamut and she'd gotten used to quite a few foul smells, even she was disgusted by the stench. Though a good bit of that was because of the spiritual malaise that she'd always felt whenever she came here.

Kris’s face crinkled with both pity and disgust. “You know, I'd have figured that there were worse places to live than Richmond Barrens. Kinda sad to see how wrong I was.”

“It wasn't always like this; 10 years ago this was just your run-in-the-mill slum. Then something happened that turned the qi toxic. And the rest of the city followed.” 

Kris tilted her head towards Gobbet. “What do you think it was?”

“No idea; it wasn't a sudden thing either. It was already a dump, but then it slowly turned into something worse.” Gobbet shrugged. “I think it was on the news or something. Can’t remember when though.”

Kris's eyes twinkled as a soft smile crossed her face. “Is this where you met Is0bel?”

Gobbet didn't bother to mask her pride.“Yep! One of the best deckers I'd ever known!” 

Duncan chose then to cut in. “You know what else would be good? Finishing this little side quest. Where's the last place we need to fix --huh?”

A large explosion cut into Duncan's speech. The three of them turned to where the sound had come. A large plume of smoke bloomed from what looked like fresh wreckage on a balcony not too far from them. A trail of blood flowed from beneath the wreckage and off the sides of the balcony, dribbling onto whatever laid below.

**_Kowloon became aware of what you were trying to accomplish and moved to stop you._ **

It took Gobbet some time to digest what she just heard.  _ The city itself doesn't want to be fixed!?  _ This was a first for Gobbet. She thought she’d seen just about everything in regards to spirits. _ Are we in danger? Will the City make a move against us?  _ How the frag do you fight a city!?

**_If you do not try to fix anything else you will be fine. Kowloon is more concerned about preserving the status quo than it is with you._ **

_ Running interference for me Rat? _

**_Always poppet._ **

“Gobbet.” Kris was right in her face. What just happened?”

There was a slight hesitation on Gobbet's end. “Kowloon… doesn't want to be fixed. And we'd better not try again if we don't want to be next.”

Kris visibly blanched at that. She furiously cast her eyes everywhere. Gobbet patted her arm. “Rat just told us to lay off and we'll be good. So no more side quests.”

The relief on Kris's face was palatable, though it was Duncan who spoke up. “Good. Got tired of being distracted anyways. Good on Rat to be looking out for us.”

____________

The rest of the trip through the inner city was much quieter than before. They strolled past a dwarf peddling wares beneath what appeared to be a cobbled light post, off to the side of what passed for a street.

“So what have you been here long?” Gobbet turned to Kris, whose eyes remained on her front even as she spoke to her. “In Hong Kong I mean.”

“Just about my whole life! I traveled a lot when I was younger. Been sitting here for about 3 years. What about you?”

Duncan interjected before Kris could say anything. “She was in prison. Black site.  Just got out.”

Gobbet turned her head and favored Kris with a look that spoke of surprise and respect. “For real!? Drek! You must’ve gotten caught.”

Kris looked decidedly uncomfortable. “I was sold out actually. Had a friend that needed my help, so I left to do it. Turns out, they needed a fall guy. Or girl, in this case. Had a pair of cuffs on me before I knew what was happening and was sent to a black site.”

Gobbet could feel an impressive, and to be honest, terrifying heat coming from off of Duncan, who loomed behind them like some sort of 6th world boogieman. She could hear him clinch his fists and grit his teeth. A quick glance behind her brought an image scarily similar to what she’d imagined. 

Kris, who’d apparently sensed the same and had looked back, turned and met Gobbet’s gaze and winked. She didn’t know what that wink meant, regardless she felt better.

“It wasn’t too bad in there,” she continued on as if nothing were wrong, “The hardest parts were the food and the linens. Corps don’t exactly splurge on creature comforts for their prisoners. I learned a few tricks, made some friends. Luckily there was a black market where I could pick up a few things.”

“And what did you have to pay? Cigs?” she quipped as she suggestively wiggled her eyebrows, “Sex?”

Behind them Duncan growled and pushed past the two ladies. Eyeing him to leave Gobbet then turned to Kris, who stared after her brother with an unreadable expression on her face before turning her gaze on Gobbet.

Kris shook her head. “Don’t take it personally. He’s always been like that. If you hadn’t set him off something else would have.”

“Well he'd better get used to it if he wants to remain alive.”

Kris rolled her eyes. “That's easier said than done,” she snorted, “I've been trying to get him to loosen up for years but I never got anywhere -- Duncan?”

As the two of them were chatting Duncan had gone ahead, peaking into one of the nearby rooms and was subsequently blasted into the railing by a bout of fire. 

He'd crawled out of the way of another gout, right in the general direction of his sister and their guide, the latter of whom had placed her hands on him and let her magic seep into his flesh, healing the physical damage to his body if not his vest

**_There we go poppet. Slow and steady._ **

As she'd finished Gobbet rose to her feet and helped Duncan onto his. 

The larger ork favoring her with a quick ‘thanks’ before he returned to where his sister was standing on the side of the doorway.“There's three hellhounds in there PB. God only knows why.”

She kept her back to the wall and peeked her head inside, pulling it back just in time to avoid getting flamed in the face. “Yeah I noticed.” She turned to Gobbet, who'd come up behind her brother, eyeing the SMG in her hands. “We're gonna need to hit them hard and fast. You ready to go?”

Gobbet grinned and cocked her gun. “You know it!”

Kris looked from Gobbet to her brother, who nodded at her as his hands gripped an AK-97, and smiled. “Lets go!”

Kris charged in first, alighting her hands with eldritch energies as she barged in. Duncan followed close behind her, with Gobbet bringing up the rear. 

Three hellhounds bellowed from the other side of the small apartment. One of them fired a gout of flame towards Kris, who slid underneath it into a table, which she flipped over and hid behind. Across the room, Duncan ducked behind another.

Gobbet ran to cover beside Duncan, spraying the hellhounds as she slid in beside Duncan, who gave her the briefest of glances before he sniped one of the bastards in the head.   


The others watched this one go down and charged the orks as one, open mouths spitting acid and breathing fire. A bolt of acid clipped Gobbet’s arm. She howled in pain as she dropped her gun. She reached for her arm with her free hand and cast a healing spell. The fight around her grew hectic. Gobbet turned to see Kris smash the acid-spitter into the wall.  As the spell began to seep into her wounds Gobbet turned her attention back to the fight, not wanting to miss anything. Her grimace turned into a grin as she saw the hellhound closest to her take a large chair to the head. 

“Got this covered guys!” Gobbet watched as Kris sprang up out of her cover and charged the two hellhounds. The one that remained upright turned to the charging human, who slid beneath the gout of hellfire and delivered a devastating kick to the hellhound that sent it flying into the wall. The dog got up, shaking its head, and tried to stand, only for Kris to drop onto its back and smash the dog’s skull into the floor.

Kris then tilted her head towards Gobbet and Duncan, a placid expression on her face that slowly shifted to one of fearful shock.“Gobbet watch out!”

**_Gobbet!!_ **

Gobbet hit the ground hard, and not on her own. Her rats scurried off of her shoulders. Something had tackled her, andit was still on her, growling in her ear. She knew it to be the hellhound from earlier and chided herself. She shouldn’t have let her guard down. Drek!

She tried to reach for gun. She wanted to blow the bastard away! The hellhound, roared heat in her face. Her eyes grew wide. There was no time to reach her gun, drek this was it-! 

A loud roar, from what seemed to be a great ways away, reached her ears. The heat and weight of the hellhound were suddenly no longer there.

Gobbet gasped for air, happy to be alive. She looked around and saw Duncan snap its neck and drop it. Taking out a sidearm Duncan fired two shots into its temple.

“Bad dog!” He then turned to Gobbet and offered his hand to help her up and sighed. “Some guide you turned out to be. Not even ten minutes in and we’re already scraping you off the floor.”   


Gobbet took it with a smile and a ‘thanks’. “They snuck up on me. What was I to do?”

“Improve. Adapt. Overcome.” Duncan was less than impressed. “You see someone or something coming for you, you shoot them until they’re no longer a problem. Don’t need some mythical spirit animal to see something like that. not for most of us.“

“If you two are quite done,” both orks turned to Kris, who had a smirk on her much like her brother, “We still have to deliver this message. Gobbet, where’s the fastest way to the Lotus Den?”

“It isn’t too far from here.” Gobbet made for the door, waving her hand for the others to follow. “This way.”

They made their way out the door, and returned to the narrow inner-city streets. A short time later they arrived in front of a large door with a glowing digital keypad that was decidedly out of place in this poverty-stricken hellhole.

_ Got any ideas? _

**_You know better than to ask for help for something you can just as easily accomplish yourself._ ** There was an twinge of disappointment to Rat’s tone.

_ But I don’t know the combination. And this is the quickest way to get to the Lotus Den? _

**_Is it?_ **

“Hey, you alright Gobbet?” Kris’s tone was tinged with concern. “You look lost in thought.”

Gobbet shook her head and smiled. “Just a talk with my totem.” She then turned her attention back to the keypad. “Okay so I don’t know what the combination is, and we don’t have Is0bel with us to crack it, so let me see if I can.”

Opening her third eye Gobbet felt the material world fade away, gradually giving rise to a world apart from the physical, one which she knew housed a reflection of everything and everyone. She turned her gaze towards the blazing gray of the keypad, five numbers shined brightly apart from the blazing grey of the keypad. She committed them to memory and released her sight, letting the physical world take her back.

Gobbet turned to the physical keypad and entered the numbers she’d gotten from it’s astral reflection. There was a click-click of the maglocks and then the door opened with an audible woosh.

Duncan grunted and charged right in, brushing past Kris who simply looked at him go and shook her head.

Kris looked at him go and sighed. “Don’t mind him. I thought it was wiz.”

Gobbet chuckled. “Ah null sweat. I figured as much. Thanks for that.”

Kris let out a soft chuckle, one that just seemed to rev Gobbet up. Her two rat chittered amicably on her shoulders, picking up on the shift in Gobbet’s mood.

**_They approve of her._ **

_ Good. It would have been awkward if they didn’t. _

Just across the sparsely-furnished home was a ladder and hatch, which to everyone’s surprise turned out to be unlocked. “Guess Bao must’ve just come through here. “Just so there’s nothing to worry about,” he had said, as he disappeared up the hatch. He reappeared not moments later, “It’s all clear up here.” He reached down and helped Kris and then Gobbet up the ladder, and closed it shut when everyone was up. 

Gobbet looked around the room, at the guns and magazines and other assorted supplies that adorned the walls and cupboards. Her rats chirping happily on her shoulders she reached for one of them, only for a large gloved hand to cut her off. 

“Later,” he grumbled, his face mere inches from hers, “Right now we’ve got a message to deliver remember?”

She scoffed in his face. “Aw. Can’t I get at least a spare medkit? You never know what might be right around the corner.”

“Not now!” Duncan’s tone held a leaden finality to it.

Gobbet pulled away with a huff, petting her irritated rats. “Aw don’t mind Duncan you two. He’s just a drain right now.”

Hearing laughter from her right Gobbet turned to see Kris chuckling into her hands “Drain or not he’s right. We need to go.”

Duncan was already out the door and had taken off down the hall. He was kneeling in front of a large keypad, his fingers gracelessly flying across a small sequencer he had in his hands. He was joined by Gobbet and Kris just as he’d finished. The door flew open, the room within exhaling a nauseating combination of musk, sweat, and nutrisoy byproducts.

“Well it’s open. Can’t say what’s inside though.” Duncan wasn’t the only one stifling a gag.

In the middle of the organized chaos that one might have called home stood a large mountain of a man. his head heavily cybered. He loomed to be a head taller than Duncan, whose eyes never left the man’s face. 

Kris came up beside Duncan, her face a carefully maintained mask of neutrality. “Strangler Bao?”

The large man tilted his head in her direction. “Who’s asking?” If he was surprised by the sudden intruders into his home he showed no sign of it.

Kris made a light bow before answering. “Pleasure to met you Mr. Bao. My name is Kris. I have a message for you, from Auntie Cheng.”

“I figured as much,” he half-growled, turning his attention onto Kris, his massive shoulders rolling at the much smaller human. “To tell you to truth I am not surprised that Cheng would send runners after me. In fact, I had expected it.” He sneered down at Kris, “However Cheng seems to be unaware of something: everything within the Walled City is mine now. All of the Yellow Lotus within answers to me. And me alone. I have no need to heed or fear her. However I am feeling merciful today. So as payment for breaking into my home you will go deliver a message to Cheng.”

Kris expression and body language hadn’t flickered or faltered during Bao’s posturing, her gaze remaining even and steady. “What is it?” Her tone was even and neutral, much like her face. 

“Tell her that this  is the one and only time I will be merciful to any interlopers or intruders into my affairs. and if she wants a war then I will be happy to give it to her.” 

Slowly Kris nodded. “Very well Mr. Bao. I will deliver the message, however, before I do that can you please accept this message?” She took out the chip Cheng had given them to give to him. “We’ve come a long way to give it to you sir. And while you may be merciful, I very much doubt she will be. Sir.”

Bao regarded her for a moment, eyeing her up and down, before nodding his head. “Very well.”

Bao took the chip and inserted it into a reader. Cheng’s haunting face bloomed on the trideo screen. The smug, almost triumphant expression on Bao’s face faded as Cheng ran him over the coals; his face was deathly pale when she finished. 

Bao swayed on his feet, staring blankly at the ground. Taking a deep breath he straightened up, some of the color returning to his face. Seeing potential for trouble Gobbet opened her mouth to say something to him. Kris waved her hand at her and locked eyes with her, shaking her head with a furious expression. 

She then turned to Bao. “Have you ever been to a black site, Mr. Bao?”

Bao gave her the smallest nod. “I thought as much. Then you’ve had a warden?” Another nod. “Mine was a breaker. Been in the biz for as long as I’d been alive. Thought I could handle her. She spent the last seven years showing me how wrong I was.”

Bro’s brow furrowed with irritation. “Is there a point to your bluster? Or are you truly as vapid as you look?” 

“Just this. I’ve been around Auntie Cheng for all of five minutes and I can already tell that she’s worse than the drek who’d made my life drek for far too long, even though she’s helping me. So I ask you, as someone who’s been where I’ve been, can you, who’ve been around Auntie Cheng for far longer than I have, say that I’m wrong about her being worse than the worst when she doesn’t get what she wants?”

It was at that moment that Gobbet knew that Kris had won. Bao’s stony disposition faded, and was replaced with a fear that somehow looked foreign to the big bruiser.

When Bao spoke again his voice was much much more meek and subdued. “Please tell Auntie that I will be back first thing in the morning.” 

Kris was suddenly all smiles. “Of course. It was nice talking to you Mr. Bao.”

Bao’s eyes twitched. “Just… go.”

With a nod Kris turned and left, motioning for Gobbet and Duncan to follow. 

Gobbet walked up and ribbed Kris. “That was some smooth-talking back there chummer.”

The petite human’s mouth stretched into a grin. “I’ve dealt with others like him; all that you need to remember is that there’s always someone bigger than them and tell them that.” She winked conspiratorially at Duncan, whose toothy grin matched hers. “Didn’t hurt that the story was true, either.”

Gobbet “Yeah? Well I can’t say that I’m keen on meeting up with Auntie again but I gotta get Is0bel. At least we finished here. What say we get some chow? I know of a great dive not far from here!”

“As long as it’s not in here!” Disgust reverberated within Duncan's coarse baritone voice. “Don’t want the smell to enter the food. If there's any good food aroundhere.”

“I figured you to have a delicate stomach Gun Show.” She ignored the glare he send her way. “Null sweat ace. I got you. Just let’s go before .”

_What do you think Rat? How was I today?_ What Gobbet got in return was what could only be described as an astral static. _Rat? What's wrong? You’re breaking up._

**_I said that you could stand to learn a thing or two about looking before you leap._ **

_ Yeah I need to get on that.  _ Gobbet was quite certain that she never would.  _ But other than that how was I? _

More static. There was a slight pause afterwards before Rat spoke up.  **_I would be more than happy to address your performance once you are out of the Walled City._ **

_ Something to look forward to! _

**_Before that, Dear Heart… did you not have some shopping to do?_ ** **_  
_ **

_ Drek! _

Gobbet relayed the change in plans. Duncan went on ahead, not wanting to have any part of the theft, while Kris stayed with her. The Lotus under Bao had amassed quite an arsenal. Gobbet helped herself to a new fetish and some grenades. She spotted Kris pocketing some medkits, a pistol and a rifle Gobbet could tell was for her brother. She could only imagine the conversation behind that.

The two left to get Duncan and to leave the Walled City, but not before telling that poor woman that bad end to her sidequest. She probably wouldn’t have taken it well but then again she should’ve expected that. That’s just the way things were in Kowloon.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you Ghostfriendly for betareading!


	5. Beautiful Dreamer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Duncan and Kris finally catch a break and get a place to rest. However it looks like they're not alone...

Duncan grunted, trudging towards the longed-for end to the drekkiest of evenings. It's been he who'd carried the bulk of the loot from the Lotus Den, and he hadn't wanted any of it. Still had to carry it.

“How much further to this ship?”

“Just a little further I think.” Kris walked in front alongside Gobbet, the two of them chatting amiably, Duncan didn't care what about. As far as he was concerned today had been an absolute disaster. In less than 24 hours he'd managed to lose his father, lose his SIN, his job, his entire life  _ and  _ became indebted to the fragging triad.   


He'd even lost Carter. He choked back a sob as he thought of her. Gripped the box on his shoulders almost tight enough to break it. 

“ _ Nobody gives a shit about Carter and there’s nothing you can do about that. _ ” Cheng had been direct. He'd appreciated that. It still hurt though. Like tearing a nail from its finger.   


Thinking about Carter brought him back to her… friend Blink. He’d probably care, though Duncan hadn’t seen him since he’d left. Kris had mentioned seeing seeing some action on the rooftops before everything had gone down. The slick little bastard wasn’t there when he could have been useful. Duncan spat on the ground. He’d better not show his face again or else there’d be consequences.   


He pushed those thoughts out of his mind. Compartmentalize. That’s what Carter had taught him. He’d handle things . “I still can’t believe that we got to keep all this.” He jutted the boxes on his shoulders. “You’d think Kindly’d be upset about us taking Bao’s stuff. Technically it’s all hers.”

“Nah she’s a good sport about that sort of thing.” The little ork girl, Gobbet, quipped, “If anyone takes the bullet, it’ll be Bao. He was the one who tried to backstab her. Besides, we got some shopping done so it’s all good.”

Duncan sneered. “Easy for you to say. Unlike me you found something that makes you happy. And I don’t mean what’s in your hands.” 

He watched Gobbet stick out her tongue at him. A steady tension, one that had built up since this all started, came churning to the surface. His breathing started to become erratic, with sparkling dots of light marring his vision. He shook his head and focused on his breathing, using the techniques he’d learned at the Academy. They helped somewhat but not enough. He couldn’t handle this, even with Kris here. He needed to get away. He needed to not think. He needed… he needed sleep.

A small hand grasped his forearm. Is0bel, the quiet, dark-skinned dwarf. 

“We’re almost there Duncan.” Observant this one was. Did she see him twitch? He’d have to watch himself around her, he knew that much.

Part of him wondered if this was all a trap. He knew practically nothing about these people, and even less about Hoei. From what Kindly had said this was a smuggler’s refuge, full of lowlifes, gangers and triads. Everything he stood against. To call this a shock was an understatement. He only knew that Gobbet could be dependable,  no one else, and even  _ she  _ was too busy ogling his sister to focus on her own safety! Damn it how else could this night get any worse?

“Here we are! Home sweet home!” Gobbet gestured to a giant freighter tied to the harbor right in front of them, beaming with pride.  


Duncan was… less than impressed by the rundown clunker that was to be their new home. It was spacious to be sure but there as a level of grime that covered everything. Hell, even his boots made an imprint on the hardwood floor. First order of business was a full round of cleaning.

“We got this ship from a bunch of BTL addicts!”

And there it was. Plain as day. Didn’t excuse them from letting things get  _ this  _ bad but…

“You’ll be staying down here.” Is0bel pointed down a corridor with two doors on its right. “Pick whichever you want. I trust you’ve got a head for essentials. The hatch there is for me and Gobbet. You can knock if you need something but all the same I’d rather you not.”

Duncan was slowly starting to appreciate Is0bel’s straightforwardness, a pleasant contrast to Gobbet’s irreverence. Briefly he wondered just how they meet. They seemed to have a bond much like himself and Kris, though he doubted that they were raised together. He suspected that they were orphans but he didn’t want to pry. So long as it didn’t get in the way of his search for Raymond he couldn’t care less. Though he doubted his sister would be as indifferent to them as he was.

“Thanks.” He muttered, as he went to inspect the rooms. He turned up his nose at the first one: covered in grime and dust and barely livable. He wanted to get away from that, thank you! He moved to the second one and could hardly believe his eyes to see it was clean. Barren, except for a bunk and footlocker, but a world away from the rest of the ship. Duncan wasted no time in claiming that one. 

“Whatever floats your boat Gunshow,” Gobbet had responded. “I for one am going to bed and I think that Is0bel’s craving sleep.” On behalf of herself and her dwarven friend she said their goodnights, lingering a bit longer on Kris than might’ve been expected. 

Sleep. Sleep sounded so good right now. He lined the boxes on the wall in order of size and made for his bunk. Then the sound of running water reached his ears and he realized that he wasn’t alone. He pulled out his pistol and made for the door, making note of the box’s contents. He was positive he’d seen that gun before.

The water stopped. Seconds later the door opened. A rush of steam entered the room, ahead of, his head and waist wrapped in white towels, the last person Duncan had expected to see again…

“YOU!?”

Amber eyes appraised him from beneath the towels, darting between Duncan’s eyes and the gun he had in his hands, settling on the latter. “I would say that it’s nice to see you too, but I think that might be a bit premature.”

“What the frag are  _ you  _ doing here Blink?” Duncan spat out the name like an curse and kept his gun trained at Blink’s head. Not that he figured it’d do him any good if he just…  _ blinked  _ out of the way but better that than nothing.

“Duncan!?” Duncan saw his sister in the doorway, her hands and feet glowing with qi. She crossed the room in a flash and was beside Blink before he could say anything. She looked just as surprised to see Blink as he was. “What are you doing here?”

At her words Blink turned and grinned. “I believe that your brother had already asked that question.” He dropped his head and sighed, his eyes to the ground. “But to answer your question I believe that it’s the same as you. A…  _ kindly  _ old woman offered me a room.”

Duncan winched.  _ Cheng.  _ Should've known she'd have had a hand in this. He glanced at Kris, who meet his gaze and visibly relaxed, subtly telling him to do the same. As if that were that easy. With a furious grunt Duncan holstered his gun and set about processing and categorizing the contents of the boxes. 

He couldn't handle this. Not now. Not tonight after so much had happened. Behind him Kris had already begun debriefing Blink, picking him up to speed on what they'd been up to since they'd last seen each other. Duncan instinctively blotted out as much of Blink’s speech as he could. Tiny tremors wracked his body whenever he picked up the smaller man’s soft tenor, far too similar to Carter’s in tone. 

“So it seems that you've had a full night,” he hears Kris say.

“So have we.” He said tiredly, the words leaving his mouth before he could stop them. He picked up on the irritation in his tone even as Kris moved to quiet him down.

He turned his head to see Blink staring at him. Irritation, exhaustion and rage swelled within him as he glared into the breeder’s eyes. He barely registered Kris's complaints. He barely registered  _ anything...  _ other than a seething fury.

“We've been moving nonstop since you left us hanging.”

Again with the staring. Kris had stepped in between them. Duncan barely noticed; Blink’s face remained still as stone. Damn it, say something!

“Don't you remember? You'd said that you had our backs? That you'd be lookout.”

Again with the silence. And even more staring. Duncan felt his anger rising within him, as memories of Carter alive and well juxtapositioned with that final shot of her headless body lying beneath the uncaring Hong Kong streetlights. Pain gripped at his heart. His hands started to tremble and it was all he could do not shoot. 

Beside him Kris roared his name. “Duncan!”

“CARTER DIED BECAUSE OF YOU!”

Stillness.The subtle rocking of the boat. The tapping of distant buoys. 

Duncan watched Blink’s face falter. A dark smirk grew on the ork’s face. Like a rabid dog who'd gotten his first taste of blood he tore into the already crumbling mage. “You weren't there when she needed you and because of that she’d dead! I think there's still some bits of her back there on the docks. You’ll have to look all over ; they geeked her but good. Recycled the hell out of her.  Go get some - bring her back. I know you mages can do that sort of thing. You won't like what she tells y-!”

“DUNCAN STOP!!” 

Kris's voice cut through, stalling Duncan’s rant. Duncan blinked and took a couple of deep breaths. He saw Blink staring at him, about an inch from unloading an ocean of tears. Duncan sneered at him. 

_ Good. It's no better than the damn punk deserves. _

Duncan glowered at the trembling mage before he turned his back to both sister and intruder and went back to sorting through the boxes. 

Blink then said exactly the wrong thing. “I’m sorry. I’ll do better.”

Duncan growled, his trembling arms grabbing and holding the boxes just a little too hard.  _ Blink needed to go. _ He heard Kris redirect Blink back into the shower, saying that she’ll handle this. Duncan heard Blink affirm, satisfied at the trembling gasps he heard in his voice. There were footsteps and then a door slammed. A few moments later he heard the shower turn back on. The sounds of crying rose above the falling water and through the thin walls of the landlocked freighter.

“Go ahead Kris.” He could feel the disapproval coming off her, even with his back to her.

There was a slight pause before he heard Kris's voice. “Did you know that he works for Saeder-Krupp?”

The med-kit in Duncan's hands slid off and onto the bunk. “I must've missed the memo.” He retrieved it and went back to sorting everything out. “I’m surprised you care about as much. Thought you’d rag on me about digging into that poser.”

Behind him Kris scoffed. “You know I’ve got your back, Duncan. That’s never changed and never will. However it just so happens that  _ poser  _ might be our best option of getting our SINs back. You still want your old life back right?”

“I wasn’t aware that we needed anymore help. Isn’t it bad enough that we have to worry about what Kindly would do to us. Besides he could be lying about being SK, like he was when he said that he’d have our backs. Remember that?”

Kris rolled her eyes. “Don’t start that with me Duncan. You and I both know damn well that they’d have tried to kill us, Blink or no Blink. The ambush on the docks and the APB happened one right after the other. You’re a cop so you should know a setup when you see one.

“Ex-Cop. I had my license revoked remember?” Duncan still chafed at that. “And yeah I get that it was a setup. But for all we know Blink might’ve had a hand in that.”

“And just where did you come up with that? Last I checked the badges ran under Mitsuhama, not Saeder-Krupp.”

Duncan glanced down at the boxes and shook his head. “Some Corp plot. An extraction gone wrong. I don’t know!” Duncan was grasping at straws and he knew it. “All I know is that the only person that knows who he is is dead and he was nowhere to be found when that happened, even after promising to watch out for her. Even if I wasn’t right in the middle of this drek, I’d  be suspicious. And you say that he’s with Saeder-Krupp? Really Kris? You want to get involved with a dragon?”

Kris chuckled. Actually  _ chuckled.  _ “No one is dealing with a dragon Duncan. If he were one we’d have probably not needed to save him from those gangers. If anything we’d have probably needed to save  _ them.  _ Dragons don’t play.” 

“Bah!” Duncan had heard enough. None of this helped him get any closer to getting his old life back. Or Raymond. 

He felt Kris’s hand on his arm and turned to face her. She was giving that deep, soulful stare she’d used back in Redmond when asking him to do something he  _ really  _ didn’t want to. “I’m not asking you to trust him Duncan. I’m asking you to trust  _ me.  _ I’ll get us out of this, just like before. But I’ll need you to at least… meet him halfway. Can you do that?”

The shower stopped just then and Duncan heard the hustle of what was probably Blink getting dressed. He suddenly felt very tired. It was entirely too late for this drek. Turning back to his things he nodded subtly over his shoulder, the pat on his shoulder letting him know that Kris had picked up on that.

“I’ll find some way to make it up to you. I promise. Just tough it out for now.”

“Raymond’s alive.” Duncan didn’t know what possessed him to say that but still it needed to be said. “I know it. We just gotta find him.”

“Then we’ll need all the help we can then won’t we?” The sound of the door as it shut behind her echoed throughout the room. Duncan looked down at the boxes, torn between rage and pain. The mage would be out of the shower soon. And he just didn't have in him to deal with that mess right now. 

He heard footsteps and dove for his bag, digging out a sleeping bag which he threw over his shoulder onto the ground and moved the boxes onto the floor before throwing himself onto the bunk. He hastily pulled off his shirt and pants, leaving only his Lone Star-issued jockstrap, before sliding under the sheets. Blink had had plenty of time to claim it. It didn’t have his or anyone else’s scent. His loss was Duncan’s gain.

Duncan heard the door open and turned over so that his back was to the room. He heard Blink step out and walk over to where he'd presumably thrown the sleeping bag. Blink thanked him and promised that he'd get a cot in the morning. But Duncan didn't care. He just wanted sleep.

There was some rustling, sobs and then some light breathing. Duncan flipped over to find Blink passed out. The mage had the sleeping bag pulled down, as was preferable considering the humidity. He was thin; not soystring thin but definitely skinnier than most of the other suits he'd seen. Like he hadn't had enough to eat. That was suspicious in of itself, but Duncan also noted that his body was lined with little cuts. 

Blink was definitely handsome. A bit thinner than Duncan would like but still pretty cute. Especially his eyes; just thinking about them made Duncan smile despite himself. 

Duncan winched as he felt his lower region react and press uncomfortably against the sheets. Shit! This was not the time for a boner. Duncan turned over, away from Blink and closed his eyes, breathing in and out until it subsided. 

That didn’t mean that Blink wasn’t a miserable piece of drek. Duncan made a mental note to have him explain himself in the morning. Early, when he'd be too groggy to lie properly. 

A yawn surprised Duncan. Time for bed. Turning back over, Duncan turned over, faced the wall, closed his eyes and was asleep two seconds later.

____________

_ Clear blue skies. Warm sunny day. Duncan smiled to himself. Today, he graduated! _

_ He checked himself out once more, smiling at the firm and pressed uniform Lone Star gave to all who graduated from their Academy. Raymond had dropped quite a lot of nuyen for this.  _

_ Speaking of which, he needed to find him! Duncan made for the auditorium where the graduation ceremony would commence. He strode down the hallway, through a huge crowd of well-wishers and proud parents. There he was, just beyond the crowd, right at the entrance to the auditorium.  _

_ Raymond. _

_ He looked so proud. Duncan waved to Raymond, and got a simple nod in return. Duncan chuckled to himself. It was so much like Raymond to be subdued when everyone else was going crazy with excitement. _

_ Duncan made for the auditorium. For Raymond. The murmurs of the crowd stopped, All eyes on him. The doors to the auditorium slammed shut, with Raymond on the other side.  _

_ “Rookie.” _

_ Duncan turned behind him. And there she was, wearing the same commencement uniform as he was. _

_ Carter. _

_ “Did you forget your place Duncan? You do not belong up there with them.” _

_ The commencement uniform melted, revealing a standard Lone Star uniform. “You were such a troublesome ork when I took you under my wing. So fierce. So angry. It was easy to see why.” _

_ Duncan watched the people and background go up like smoke. There was darkness. Then noise. Bright lights and screaming filled his vision. The familiar smell of industrial runoff filled his nostrils. He was back in the Barrens.  _

_ Back home. _

_ “I thought you left this all behind you. But it followed you. Caught up with you. And I had to pay the price.” _

_ Duncan watched as Carter changed again. The right side of her head melted and fell onto the ground, revealing a gaping hole.  _

_ Yes, he remembered. He did this to her. He smiled. She was right to condemn him. _

_ A fog horn bellowed behind him. Duncan turned around and found himself on the docks of Hong Kong. He turned back to Carter, whose sole good eye was gone.  _

_ “But do not worry Duncan. For I am here. And like any good superior I know how to make things all better.” _

_ She opened her mouth, revealing row upon row of sharp teeth. Then she descended on him, tearing away at his flesh. But Duncan had realized that she, as his superior, was only doing what was right and proper. His smile grew.  _

_ She tore away his arms and legs. He fell to the ground. She ripped away his ears, eyes and teeth. But still, he smiled. For she was only doing what was right and proper. Then he felt her teeth on his flesh and his smile only grew. She tore away the last of him. Suddenly, there was nothing. No light. No sound. No sensation at all. _

_ It was finally over… _

_____________

Duncan woke with a start, panting heavily. The sheets were drenched in sweat. His hands trembled furiously and nothing he did could still them. His breathing came and went in heaving gulps.  He was so hungry. So, so hungry.

There was a yowl of pain, such as that came reluctantly. Duncan turned to the source, and saw Blink writhing in the sleeping bag. He clutched it hard enough to draw blood, and tears streamed down his face. He let out a single howl before collapsing onto his back.

The room went deathly silent. A sliver of fear shot up Duncan's spine. Was Blink having a nightmare like Duncan had? And what about Kris or Gobbet or Is0bel? Was this sort of thing common around here? 

There were too many unanswered questions. Duncan looked down at his sweating, trembling body, noting tiny bumps covering his arms. Duncan slid out of bed and dressed himself. There was no way he was going back to sleep now. Not after having seen  _ that.  _ He spend the rest of the evening working out, the satisfaction it usually gave him to start and finish something first thing in the morning conspicuously absent. there were boxes full of things that hadn’t been sorted, he realized, and his guns still needed to be cleaned and inspected. 

Duncan buried himself in busy work, throwing his all into even the most minute of tasks, never taking a single break. The further he went into whatever he was doing, the harder it became to think about his dream. And thus it would hold no power over him. 

Time passed unnoticed. The gentle light of the dawn grazed Duncan’s face, as he showered to wash off the sweat and grime from his earlier frenzy, the steam prickling his skin. He closed his eyes, let the hot water rain onto his face and chest, and started to smile as it washed away his stress. 

Something grumbled in the other room. His roommate was awake. Duncan groaned into the shower, which had long since cooled. The lukewarm water did little for Duncan’s mood. He clutched his face and sighed at the sound of movement coming from the next room. So Kris was  _ just now  _ getting up? Had she’d forgotten about the 5K Raymond had made them do in the morning? Raymond’d have a fit. 

Duncan shook himself and turned off the shower. It wasn’t fault, he’d reminded himself. She’d been away at prison. It wasn’t her fault she’d had a  _ drek  _ partner. Besides which, from what he’d seen she’d not skimped on the training.

Also, he noted as he changed into his clothes, there’d be too many chances coming for her to test her skills, sharpen them, and just keep them all from a bloody death. Triad Shadowruns; bloody, dark, and right between Raymond and him. Bring it on. He’d tear down Hell itself it it meant getting his family back.

And he would see just how eight years in prison had changed his sister. He paused at the door and took a deep breath as the weight of it all sank in on him. Eight years had passed for him too. He just… wished that she’d been there with him during that time, so that that they’d be a family again. But there’s no getting back lost time, is there?

  
  
  



	6. In Too Deep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The crew makes its first official Run. It goes well until...

It was late in the night, and they were almost at the museum. From what Is0bel had heard from Point Blank about her conversation with their Johnson, Mr. Drake, this Run would be a simple smash-and-grab with a twist. The museum was built on an excavation site, within which were a couple of very old tomes that Drake wanted removed.

More nuyen would be forthcoming for damages. Something or other about ruining the museum’s owner because of…morality or something. Essentially, it was an easy gig with a hefty payout. Plus it gave her a chance to evaluate the newest members of her crew.

Gobbet had told her of the run in the Walled City with Point Blank and Duncan, the ork better known as Gunshow. According to her they were both solid. Point Blank in particular had the skills to be a good Face and Gunshow was apparently good with a rifle. He could also hack a maglock.  


She trusted Gobbet; always had. They’d been through a lot together and she valued her opinion. Despite that though, she still intended to see what they could do for herself. She didn’t trust  _ them  _ yet. As such she preferred to use their street names; keep them at a respectable distance. Not to close, not too far. This went for both them and for their team's newest member, Blink.

He sat beside her, hands in his lap, eyes to the ground. They'd done a supply run before the actual Run. He'd used the opportunity to get rid of those la-di-da dress clothes. The flak jacket hung off his frame just a little too much, though the shirt and pants were a nice fit. At least he'd already had a passable gun.  


Every now and then the van would hit a bump and Blink would make a small surprised sound. It wasn't loud but evidently it was enough to rile Gunshow, who turned to glare at him whenever he let out a peep.  


It was obvious to Is0bel that the ork wasn’t fond of Blink. He didn’t want to Run with him but he’d been overruled by Point Blank. Apparently, Blink knew a thing or two about the artifacts, and could help pick out the ones that would get the most snag. And she wasn’t about to turn down some extra creds. Mr. Drake had promised a higher payout if they’d taken the more expensive artifacts, though he'd been unhelpfully vague on what they’d look like. Probably because he didn’t know.

Still, this would be a good test run. Whether or not Blink was as good as he says would be shown instead of said. Anything could happen on a run and they needed to be prepared.

Getting in had been easy as Mr. Drake had already disabled the security. The doors were already open when they arrived and there were no guards to be seen. Is0bel took out her commlink and reviewed the directives Mr. Drake had sent them. The artifacts were apparently in a large room with similar pieces all set up in though according to Blink those were just show pieces.

Isobel noticed an exhibit that was said to have the ashes of royalty. She started to reach for it when she heard Blink call out.“Not that one! Buyers can get a thousand more just like it. It’s worthless.” He pointed to an ornate vase right beside it. “That one.”

Is0bel took the vase with deliberate care. “You’re sure this one will sell, and for more than the ashes? It  just looks like a vase to me.”

“And how do you know those are really the ashes of a king and not just dirt in a pot? No self-respecting collector would dare touch those without a good assensor and those  generally cost more than the item being assensed. And that’s not even getting into how hard finding it can be to find an assensor who isn’t just pulling facts out of their ass. 4th world items are  _ huge _ , especially if there’s any latent magic within them.”

Kris came up behind him, a huge skeleton draped across her back. “Sounds like you do know your stuff. I take it you’ve had some training in finding authentic artifacts?”

Duncan quickly followed his sister. “And you're not just ‘talking out of your ass’?” In his hands were what looked like a large jawbone and… the fossilized head of a velociraptor? Maybe she could keep that.

Blink glared at Duncan. “I’ve been taught to assense artifacts of all types. It’s just another form of aura reading. Through that I can determine general information about the item in question.”

Kris shared a glance with her brother. “And just where did you learn to assense? From your friends at SK?”  


There was a noticeable pause before Blink answered. “Yes. I learned assensing from some… work… friends.  They also taught me about who would buy what and why.”  


Is0bel watched Point Blank’s eyes narrow. Gunshow cast a glance at her before turning his gaze back to Blink, whose own gaze had fallen to the floor. He looked like he was about to say something but Is0bel stopped him.“We’re getting off-topic.” She turned to Blink. “Where would they be holding the good stuff then? If I were to guess it would be somewhere hard to find, right?"

Blink’s head rose and he met her eyes, his own shimmering with anger and regret. She made a note to ask him about it later or better yet, get Gobbet to do some ‘assensing’ of her own. “Yes. Usually it’d be in a bedroom but it’s just as likely to be kept in an office. There might be wards to watch out for but most dragon-chasers are too engrossed in their finds to put any up. ”

Duncan snorted. “Dragon-chasers?”

“Rich collectors. Really big into old world stuff. tend to follow dragons because they want to be as powerful and rich as they are.” Blink chuckled. “But they won’t let you think that they like dragons;  _ oh no. _ You’d be surprised how many of them are Archconservatives.”

“And these… work… friends of yours, are any of them dragon-chasers?” Gunshow had said teasingly. He was careful to enunciate his words as Blink had, drawing a smirk from the smaller mage.  


“On some level we all are. We’re all work for the ‘golden wyrm’ after all. That said, most of us don’t spend a small fortune on a dragon’s leftovers and delude ourselves into thinking that the drek’s worth more than it-”

“Off topic, again.” Is0bel cut in. “I don’t know about the rest of you but I’m not keen on lugging these things around from floor to floor so let’s just stash them somewhere until we can get back.” She glanced around the room. “Anybody got any ideas?”  


It was Blink who spoke up.“Why not just leave them in here? We can hit the site, office and then come back here all in one go.” Is0bel nodded her head slowly. At least he seemed to have a good head on his shoulders. It was everything else that was up for discussion.

__

“Watch out for their acid!”

The tomb raiding had gone decidedly less… peacefully than Is0bel might have liked. They’d found the first tome easily enough. Out in the open, sitting on a large pedestal. Easiest part of the mission.  


“Be careful!”

But as it turned out the place wasn’t as empty as they’d been lead to believe; yet another thing for Point Blank to ‘discuss’ with their Johnson. Is0bel counted four basilisks and two giant scorpions, all of whom didn’t seem to appreciate their being there. Two mummies, their slumber disturbed, emerged from opposite sides of the cavern.

At least Is0bel was able to determine Blink’s skills for herself. And how amazing they were. He flew around the cavern like a bird, rarely hitting the ground. His movements were swift and graceful, though his aim on the move left something to be desired. He actually seemed to not only notice but had switched to using himself as bait, drawing the belligerent paracritters away from the others.  


His movements were smooth, and his magic was spectacular. However… it appeared to take quite a toll on his body. Each jump took just a little more time than the last, each  _ blink _ covered less distance than the one before. His movements got sloppy and his aim suffered.  


A basilisk snuck up to him while he was catching his breath,and had sent him flying with a flick of its tail into a row of  hard metal boxes.  


Blink struggled to get up, and would have been geeked then and there were it not for Gunshow pulling him out of the way of the basilisk’s acid. Is0bel’s admiration for the young mage took a nosedive after that.  


“Kris!”

One of the mummies had managed to sneak a blow on Kris, who’d proven to be nearly as mobile as Blink was -though  smarter about pacing herself- and both had vanished. The cry had come from Gunshow, who’d lost his composure after seeing that. Is0bel made a note about that.

Blink clutched at Gunshow’s shoulder. “Focus on the fight! She was probably taken away to a seperate metaplane. There’s nothing you can do for her now except fight and live.”

Gunshow had furiously pushed the hand off and turned to glare at the panting mage. “So you’re saying that she’s dead? Can’t you teleport there? That’s supposed to be your big thing!!”

Blink then shook his head, his face despondent. “Even if I could, I don't know where she went. there are too many metaplanes, and we don’t have the time to go searching for her right now.” He returned Gunshow’s glare with his own. “Just focus on the fight. She should be back once she’s taken care of the mummy. If she’s not back by the time we’re finished here I’ll think of something then.”

Just as Blink was finishing that sentence Point Blank reappeared; tired and winded, but very much alive. Duncan had jumped out of cover and rushed over to her, just as one of the mummies he’d neglected to finish off fired a bolt at her. Duncan jumped in front of her, apparently to take the blast, but Blink had, true to his name,  _ blinked  _ over to them, put a hand on both of them and then  _ blinked _ them  all back into cover.  


He then turned to glare at Gunshow as he put a hand on Point Blank to heal her.“I said  _ focus _ !”

He sat out the rest of the fight to catch his breath, looking much better for the rest. Maybe, Is0bel thought to herself, he should keep a little respect. Just a little. 

____

Blink was right about the good stuff being hidden in an office; a few keystrokes from Is0bel saw a bookcase fly open. A brief wave of malaise washed over her; she hadn’t needed to use a jackpoint and she’d been looking forward to surfing the matrix, if only for a little while. Still, she knew it was faster this way.  


And at least it got Gunshow to stop ragging on Blink, if only for a moment. Ever since the fight down below Gunshow had been on Blink’s case about his inexperience and lack of stamina, growling in his ears and face about how if he didn’t shape up he’d get everybody killed.  


“You were pretty slick back there but your stamina could use some work.  So could your aim. You start fragging up once things go wrong.”

“You’re one to talk. Didn’t I save your life, and your sister’s?”

“I’m just saying, maybe you wouldn’t be so worn out if you made smaller jumps. Just saying.”

The bookcase opening up stopped the discussion cold. Point Blank stepped out, carrying an ancient and expensive looking staff. The mage standing beside Is0bel went into a small trance, a large grin forming on his face.  


“You’ll be happy to know that staff’s packed with magic. That’ll sell for quite a bit of nuyen.”

Now it was Point Blank’s turn to grin. “Glad to hear it.” She pointed behind her. “There’s a vase that looks just as expensive in the back. Duncan, can you get it?”

“Sure.”  


Point Blank held out the staff to Blink. “Think you could put this with the others?” She smiled brightly.  


Blink smiled right back at her. “Sure thing.” He reverently took the staff, a goofy smile on his face. He then looked and nodded at both women before sprinting out of the office.

“Looks like he’s happy.” Point Blank came up and stood beside Is0bel. “What do you think?”

“I wouldn’t go so far as to say that he’s solid but then you did say that he’s been out of the game for a while. It shows.” Is0bel could tell that she was referring to more than just Blink.

“I wasn’t talking about just Blink.” Thought so. “But it is good to get verified by an… expert.” Her tone was light and airy, saccharine-sweet to Is0bel’s ears.  


“The run’s going smoothly so far. Wish we’d been told about paracritters down below but what can you do?”

The grin on Point Blank’s face was frozen. Is0bel fought the urge to smirk. “Not much apparently.”  


Is0bel was almost relieved  when Blink came running back and broke the tension. “We’re locked in!” Almost.

“What!?”

“When I went to put the staff up the door we came in from slammed shut. I went to try to open it but it didn’t budge.”

An icy knot formed in Is0bel’s gut. Drake had said that this wouldn’t happen. Had he been lying? She didn’t think so but the alternatives were much more troubling.  


Point Blank’s face looked set in stone. “We need to get out of here.” She turned her head and called down the corridor for Gunshow. The sound of boots scraping against the floor grew faster as he came running and emerged from the bookcase, the large vase Point Blank had mentioned earlier tucked under his arm.

“Something wrong Kris?”

“There’s been a complication. We need to leave.” She turned to Is0bel. “Do you think you can open the door?”

“It may take me some time but yes.”

Point Blank nodded. “Good. Let’s get going.”

They all ran out of the office, and into the large hub-like area where the entrance and artifacts were connected. Point Blank moved to check on the artifacts. She directed Blink and Gunshow to back up Is0bel as she checked the door. Is0bel moved to the door, taking out her deck and looking for a good point to hack it, when it opened itself, revealing a very large, heavily armed troll. He looked down just as she looked up, his growing smirk juxtaposed by her mounting dread.  


She clamored to put up her equipment, to escape with her life, just as he pulled out a shotgun. He leveled it at her, grin widening. She stared up into the barrel. Drek!

There was a flash of light and a grunt of pain as a bolt smashed the troll right in the chest, sending him flying. Is0bel looked behind her and saw, with an outstretched hand crackling with energy, and a ferocious look, their errant mage Blink.

“Get back!” There was no question in Blink’s voice. And no need either. Is0bel chucked her deck to her back and ran back into the boxes, just as a hail of bullets pummeled the ground where she stood.  


Ducking into cover she saw Gunshow doing the same on the other side. He glanced at her and then pulled Blink down into cover, just as  _ he  _ came under fire. She took out her gun and glanced knowingly at Blink, who met her eyes, nodded and pulled out his Fichetti. She spotted Point Blank out of the corner of her eye, crouched in the doorway to the museum. Is0bel spared a glance and nod for the wiry adept and looked over cover at the doorway she’d just come from.

A dwarf and a drone came through, moving around and above the fallen troll. The drone opened fire on Is0bel’s location, gradually whittled down her cover. She sees Gunshow on the side pull out of cover and fired several rounds into the drone, which exploded in a ball of fire. The dwarf glanced at Gunshow and threw a grenade over his cover.  


It landed between Blink and Gunshow, both of whom dove in opposite directions as it went off. Both were out in the open. Vulnerable. The dwarf smirked and pulled back while waving behind him. Two more guards emerged and flanked the doorway. They then opened fire on Is0bel and Gunshow.  


She pulled back further into cover. She saw Gunshow try and fail to fall back into cover, the gunners’ furious assault forcing the much larger ork to scurry and roll across the ground. There was a flash of movement in Is0bel’s peripheral vision.  


Point Blank had started to move, a blur of pale skin and vibrant mane. The gunner looked up, surprised, and turned from Gunshow to fire off a couple of rounds at the advancing adept, who gracefully weaved her lithe form through the gunfire.  


She swiftly advanced towards  the right gunner. She jumped, her body going into a spin, and delivered a devastating kick that sent the gunner flying into the wall.  


Is0bel sees Duncan run back into cover, and aim his gun again.  She sees how pissed he is, his face set in grim determination. She glances back at the second gunner, who looks at their fallen partner and howls. They turn their gun on Point Blank, nostrils flaring in rage.  


Then in a burst of light, Blink appeared behind the gunner and shot them in the head. Blood flew as they slumped down, and Blink coolly shot them again.  He then stepped past them, up to Point Blank, and glanced at where the gunner she’d downed had been trying to collect themselves. Blink fired two more shots, denying them the chance.  


Is0bel watched with a small pride. There just might be hope for this boy yet!  


There was a flash of red and orange behind Blink and Point Blank. Is0bel cried out a warning, but she was too slow. A fireball came flying out of the doorway. It smashed the mage and adept, sending the two sprawling to the ground. Out of the doorway emerged a fire monstrosity that looked like it was forged out of magma and fire. Is0bel immediately knew it to be a summoned spirit.  


The dwarf who’d thrown the grenade stepped out of the doorway, a wicked sneer on his face. He looked down his nose at the Runners on the ground, while the glaring elemental  readied another ball of flame.  


“Get out of there!!”

Point Blank throws her arms over her face. Blink glances at the elemental and then glances behind him. He puts his hand on Point Blank’s arm. The fire elemental flung his missile in a blistering, flesh-stripping blast.

The explosion cleared; scorched ground, but no bodies. Is0bel looked around and smiled. There, not too far from her, were Point Blank and Blink, the latter’s hand resting on the former’s arm. He got her out of there.  


_ Great job wiz. _

The shaman roared How dare they not get blasted! Didn’t they know how important it was that he prove all his detractors wrong? He advances on them, growling, as they start to crawl back.  


Blink stops and nearly collapses. Point Blank tries to pull him back. Both shaman and spirit are entirely focused on the retreating pair.

“Let me show you how to use a grenade.”  


Pulling out her launcher, Isobel shot two grenades at the shaman dwarf’s feet. The shaman heard a rattling sound, looked down, and cried out as he ran for cover. The grenades exploded. The dwarven shaman was sent flying in a swirl of blood and gore. He landed on the ground in a crumpled heap. His legs were bloodied stumps.  


He looked up at screaming and saw his summoned spirit cringing painfully as it faded away. He cries out in pain and rage. Is0bel sees him pull out some sort of fetish, which is promptly kicked out of his hands. The little dwarf looks up to see an extremely angry ork pointing a very big gun right at him.

“Magic  _ this _ , fragger.”

Gunshow snarled down at the dwarf and fired. The shaman’s head hit the ground and laid there, unmoving, as a pool of blood began to grow around it.  


Is0bel stepped out of cover and glanced down at the fallen braggart. “I doubt that they were the only ones.”

Above her Duncan grunted. “Me too.” He turned to Point Blank. “I think you should have a little  _ chat  _ with Mr. Drake. Looks like our little milk run just turned sour.”

Point Blank’s face was as hard as Gunshow’s voice. Wordlessly she put Blink down one of the few unshredded boxes and, after making sure he was okay pulled out her commlink. Judging from Point Blank’s words, whatever was being said wasn’t good..

Isobel went up to Blink. “You alright?”  


He gave her a thumbs-up. “Yeah. I’m good.”  


Is0bel noticed that he didn’t lift his head, and was panting heavily. “You handled yourself pretty well out there.”

A small grin. “Thanks. It’s been… quite a while.” Blink started to chuckle. “I am so out of practice.”   
  
“Clearly.” Gunshow had moved to stand just a few feet from Blink. Is0bel thought it was because he was worried about him but…   


“Well we can’t all have your impeccable looks and stamina Gunshow. Some of us have to work for what we got.”

“Shit and you think I didn’t?” His voice was gruff but not nearly as much as it used to be.

“No I know you did. It ain’t easy. Oh and Duncan?”

“What?”

“I wanted to say thanks. Not just for the saves in the fight. You were right. Short distances  _ are  _ much easier on me. Can’t believe I forgot that but then I’m not who I used to be. Gonna have to get better.”

Is0bel watched Gunshow stare at Blink, watched as his body went stiff. Was it so rare for him to get a compliment? Or for his advice to be heeded? Whatever it was, it was obvious that Gunshow had been thrown for a loop. It was almost cute to watch.

“Is0bel.” She turned to Blink, who was staring at her with a hard, unreadable look on his face. “I’ve been meaning to ask you about this but the leylines around here are different. I noticed that down at the site and just now during the fight. They pack a lot more punch than the ones I’m used to, and the effects they produce with my magic are different.”   


“I’m not a mage Blink.”

Blink nodded. “I know that. What I’d meant to talk to you about was if you knew-”

“Bad news guys!” Point Blank had run back to the others, her eyes wild. “Apparently the alarm sounded as soon as we came in. What we just witnessed was the first group. There’s a second group coming in through there.”

“Drek!”

“It gets worse. The exits were all closed after we tripped the alarm. The only one that’s still open is the one the new guards are coming in through.”  


Is0bel sighed into her hands. “So we’ve got another fight on our hands. Because the first one obviously wasn’t challenging enough. We’re fragged.”

We are if you keep thinking we are. I don’t know about you but I ain’t going down like that.” Kris then turned to Blink, her gaze an unusual mix of determination and concern. “You good for another scrap?”

“Yeah.” Blink took a deep breath and jumped onto the floor. “I’m good. Just got to patch myself up first. You need some healing too.”   


Kris began to reach into her pockets. “I don’t know how much time we’ve got but I’m sure we can spare a few medkits.” Blink stopped her.

“I’m equally sure we can’t. Now come here.” Blink then took her by the hand, over to the exact spot Is0bel had remembered he was standing when he’d geeked that troll that was about to geek her. Probably a leyline.

“I’m not too familiar with Hong Kong’s leylines,” He explained, as he healed the wounds both he and Point Blank had gotten from their earlier fights, “But at least this much is consistent.”   


Gunshow opened up then. “Then no more  _ blinking _ .” He looked Blink dead in the eye. “You look like shit. And I’m betting you feel even worse. So no more of that,” he waved his hands in the air, “flying like you’re some kind of superhero. Just stick to whatever magic you have. Can’t have you passing out on us.”

Blink favored Gunshow with a long look, then ran a hand through his hair and sighed.  


“Very well. I’ll try to hold off on the  _ blinking. _ ” He returned to glaring at Gunshow. “If you can keep  _ focus  _ for two fraking minutes!”

Duncan shrugged. “No promises.”

“We’re wasting time.” Point Blank had slid in between Gunshow, as if to protect him from the potential fallout of his own words, “Let’s get the stuff we want to take and put it in the next room. We can pick it all up after we deal with the badges.”

There were no more murmurs now, just simple nods all around. The dejection on Blink’s face had faded. In its place was a steely resolve. He moved -as swiftly as his exhaustion would allow- to the door that Point Blank had indicated they needed to get through, and leaned against the wall beside it.

Gunshow had pulled down his crimson goggles during Point Blank’s tirade and watched Blink withdraw with a look Is0bel couldn’t quite place before he pulled his goggles back on and followed Point Blank as she went to retrieve the artifacts.  


Is0bel went over to stand beside Blink, feeling that she’d only get in the pway of the others. The shadows were incredibly unforgiving. And Hong Kong’s were some of the worst. If Blink was going to make a name for himself, hell if he was going to  _ survive…  _ he’d have to learn to toughen up.

She suspected that Gunshow had picked up on it, and Point Blank too, though she was much more tactful about it. They’d their own problems too, Is0bel admitted; Gunshow’s breakdown was still fresh in her mind. If Blink hadn’t gotten to him before the mummy had he might not be here.  


Point Blank had the skills of an effective leader, and could hold her own when things got bad, but still, Is0bel didn’t like how hard she tried to get into her good graces. Especially since she hadn’t opened up to Blink.

Is0bel was aware that Gobbet was interested in Point Blank. Maybe the human wanted  _ her  _ too, and was looking to get in good with Is0bel?  


Is0bel saw Gunshow and Point Blank return with the relics and put those thoughts on hold. She could just as easily introspect  _ after  _ a firefight. After all he wasn’t Gobbet.  


Her gaze shifted over and froze on the the dead guards. Did they have anything they could use to replenish what the last fight had taken out of them?

She caught Blink’s eye and pointed to the dead. He followed her finger and nodded, picking up on her intention immediately. The two of them shift through the dead guards pockets, searching for something they could conceivably use, even it it was nothing but a few clips.  


Behind them Gunshow complained against looting the dead, which Is0bel ignored. Blink was hanging on by a thread, and the others weren't looking so hot either. And if they wanted to get out of this alive, they'd have to do whatever it took to survive. They could contemplate morality of grave robbing if they survived.  _ If. _

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	7. Unreasonable Discourse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the crew gets a new member, who's already known to one of their own.

There was  a flash of crimson heat and the sounds of inhumane crackling filled her ears, shattering her tranquility. Her eyes flew open, the sight of her dingy room seemingly vanquishing the intrusive visions. The terror they’d brought remained.  


Kris looked down at her trembling hands. She could feel the cold sweat forming on her brow. The subtle rocking of the ship told her that she was still there.

_ Pull it together Kris! This ain’t the time to fall apart. _

There is a rumbling in the room next to hers; indignant grumbles and half-assed apologizes. She threw an arm over her face and sighed.  


Duncan and Blink were up and, of course, at each other’s throats; more Duncan than Blink though.

It was entirely too early in the morning. She did not care that her room had no window, awning or any other discernible method of perusing daybreak. She was awake; therefore it was day.

Those two could have their little tete-a-tete  _ after  _ she had her morning routine!

Kris groaned into her arm. She was going to have to live with these noisy neighbors.  Her legs slid out of the bunk. She rose to her feet and started her morning workout. She stilled her breathing, and let her arms spread out beside her. She pushed out the waking world: her brother, his roommate, their situation with their missing father and the clusterfuck he’d left behind- anything that could distract her.  


She flowed from pose to pose for a good hour; she knew, as she’d kept count. Prison had been good for counting the hours. She’d usually finished with a lotus pose, as it’d always put a smile on her face. But not today.

She went into her restroom and got in the shower. The lukewarm water helped somewhat, but they did nothing for her memories of that dream. Kris shivered and shook her head. Too many teeth. Everything had too many teeth: all the prisoners, the KE jackboots that had taken her away, the warden who’d made her life a living hell.  


For the briefest of moments, it was like she’d never left. And then there was the elation she’d felt when they devoured her. Like it was the right thing to do.  


The water had long since turned cold, though Kris didn’t notice until she shivered involuntarily. She turned the water off with a huff. It was just a dream, that’s all. Nothing to get worked up about. Even so, she’d talk to Gobbet about it.  


Just thinking about Gobbet made her blush. And brought her back into reality. There was just so much to do! She quickly got cleaned up and stepped out of her room. She needed to ask Cheng about training facilities. ; Knowing Cheng there were, and they'd probably get some sort of discount for being her pet shadowrunners. Didn't mean the crotchety cunt was any more pleasant to deal with.

No. That won't do. Too much negativity for it being so early. Kris closed her eyes and focused on what had gone right. The heist had been especially fruitful. Blink had indeed known what would sell. They’d made a pile of nyuyen, even with Is0bel pocketing the dinosaur head for herself. Kris smiled and shook her head at the memory of it.  


That last fight could’ve gone better. No one had been seriously hurt, thankfully, but there wasn’t a whole lot of group cohesion either. Plus Blink had been dangling by a thread throughout the entirety of the fight. Kris was positive that if he hadn’t taken Duncan’s advice about not  _ blinking  _ he’d have passed out. Kris had to walk him out. Definitely gonna have him cut back on  _ blinking. _

That wasn’t even getting into his abysmal aim during the fight. Yeah she was definitely looking into getting him some training. Maybe she could get Duncan to whip him into shape? The thought made her chuckle.  


The boat’s common area was vacant, as expected in the early morning. In the far corner was the computer system she’d been told would help her get her team situated in Hong Kong. On top of four other disparate personalities she had the shadows of a whole city to deal with.

No. Don't think about that. Another deep breath. Concentrate on the good. Don't get negative.

She tilted her head to her left, her gaze settling on a large hatch that looked to go down. Had Gobbet said something about that? Who knew?  She couldn’t remember, so much of that evening had been spent dealing with Kindly Cheng, getting her brother settled in, being introduced to said brother’s new roommate -who she still didn’t trust-dealing with  _ his  _ mess, and dealing with Gobbet’s blatant flirting.  


She’d entertained Gobbet’s attentions with a smile, and wasn’t completely against getting into some trouble with a clever, bright-eyed, quite roguishly charming street scamp - but she knew if she wanted to get to the bottom of all the drek that had gone down, she’d have to work. And so far Gobbet hadn’t shown her that she understood what that meant.

Plus her hygiene was  _ awful _ . The entire ship was part of it and it made her first night hell. So the ork woman was to be kept at arm's length.

The sound of gears grinding brought her back to the ship. Said gear-grinding got worse when Kris opened the hatch, instantly coming under assault by an intense and overwhelming heat.

The sounds of industry went perfectly with the mechanical nightmare that greeted her. Rows of gears and obscure circuity lined the walls as great mechanical arms whirled overhead. At the center of it all, standing beside a large workstation was a very odd man.  


“I am just about finished. Please remain where you are. It would be a shame if you were to be bisected by rotary saws before we’ve been properly introduced.” His voice was a melodious baritone that was undeniably Slavic. A spider-like drone scurried at his feet; bright red optics flashed threateningly up at Kris. “Please don’t mind him. I promise that he will not attack if you remain where you are.”  


A rigger. Kris cocked an eyebrow at the little drone that hissed at her, as she made herself comfortable on the stairs, the glow of it’s eyes diminishing as she affirmed her intention to respect it’s owner’s space. “ _ Spasibo _ . I will be finished shortly.”

He then went back to work, his back to Kris. Beneath him the little drone bleeped and scuttled, its eyes fixated on the unknown guest of its master. Kris chuckled down at the devilish-looking thing while she waited.  


“Thank you for waiting. Now may I ask who it is I have the pleasure of speaking with?”

He was smooth, she’d give him that. And he wasn’t exactly uneasy on the eyes; that whole disheveled malcontent look he had going must’ve gotten him plenty of action.  


“Think nothing of it. And I’m Kris. Who are you?”

The strange man smiled. “Racter. I must thank you for your hospitality, Kris.”

“Oh, sure. I hope you don’t mind me barging in. The hatch wasn’t locked and I’d heard from Gobbet that someone was living down here.”

“And you wanted to sate your curiosity. Understandable. If there was somebody who lived beneath my feet I’d want to know more about them. At least if they were dangerous or not.”

Was that a crack at her? There was nothing in his voice or body language that told Kris anything.

“As it happens I was just about to go out to fetch some supplies,” he continued. “Would you like to join me? I’m sure that you’ve quite a few questions, as I do.”

So he was just as curious about her. What had he heard, lurking below them? At least Kris was certain she’d have heard the hatch open, if he or his drone had snuck up. She made a note to ask Gobbet more about the ship and their mysterious tenant. No, Is0bel.  


“That sounds awesome. I’d been meaning to get some breakfast. I hope you won’t mind some company. I’d like to bring my brother.” She honestly didn’t know if Duncan wanted to go with her, but she wanted to see how Racter would react.

“I would be delighted to meet your brother.” As before there was no inflection in his voice. He took a long drag of his cigarette and sighed. “Truthfully it’s been getting a little dull with just Koschei. I would very much appreciate interacting with other metahumans.”

“Koschei?” Racter’s eyes fell onto the drone scuttering at his feet, whose hissed at Kris with its bright red eyes. “Ah. Your drone.” It was then that realization hit her.”Koschei? As in Koschei the Deathless?”

Racter’s eyes lit up. “Ah. So you know of the myth of Koschei.”

Kris found it hard not to blush at his uninhibited pleasure. “I… like to read sometimes.” Like in prison. There was little else to do in prison.“Historic folklore is surprisingly helpful in the 6th world. You never know what you might run into.”

Racter nodded sagely. “True. You can never tell what’s out there. Speaking of which... “

“Heh. Yeah.”  


They made more polite small talk on the way out. Kris had soon stopped trying to actively suss anything out of Racter. He was genial enough, but Kris wasn’t about to lower her defenses. Trust but verify.

“The Russian Republic?” Interesting. “ I’ve never been there myself. What can you tell me about it?”

Duncan’s rich baritone voice bounced down the gangway just as Kris left the hatch, with Blink’s lighter tenor rasping out an apology. Duncan appeared first, followed by Blink, the taller ork nearly eclipsing the smaller human mage in the light of the foyer. Blink turned just as the rigger emerged from out of the hatch and froze, his face contorted in fury.

**_“YOU.”  
_ **

The singular word, spat out like a venomous expletive, froze everyone in the room. Kris glanced at Duncan, her eyes wide with shock. Duncan’s own gaze was similar to her own. His eyebrows rose to the edges of his mohawk.   


Racter returned Blink’s indignation with a look of wry amusement, while Koschei’s whirring rose from the floor into a mechanical howl, optics glaring red.  


Kris slid in front of Racter, facing the belligerent wagemage whose anger didn’t wane. He snapped a glance to Kris and she paused. Then Duncan’s hand came to rest on Blink’s shoulder. Kris watched the anger visibly drain from the mage’s face, though he still looked unhappy.  


A strange smile had stretched across Racter’sface even as his cold gaze remained on Blink. Koschei stood on its haunches in front of Racter, growling menacingly at Blink with two saws swinging in front of it. Kris had made sure to not step too close.

She heard movement in the corridor and saw Gobbet and Is0bel step into the room, chatting about something. Their conversation ceased when they saw everyone so tense.

Gobbet chimed in first. “What the hell happened here? Did you miss a party or something?”

Is0bel turned upwards and regarded her friend with a wry look. “Doesn’t look like much celebrating.” She turned to Kris. “Did something happen?”

“Nothing yet but stay frosty.”

Is0bel nodded silently. Gobbet looked like she wanted to say something else but didn’t, though she did look worryingly at Kris, who winked at her and turned back to the group. Kris flicked her eyes to Duncan, and watched as he reluctantly pulled his hand away from Blink, before she looked the wagemage right in the eye.  


“Chill chummer.” Blink got out, “I’m not gonna cause a scene here. I know better than that.” He kept his eyes on Racter. “I just never expected to see him again. Ever.”

Kris nodded. “Is he one of your ‘friends’ from Saeder-Krupp?” She was suddenly even more interested in their Russian rigger.  


There was a noticeable beat before Racter spoke. “Friend?” He glanced at Blink. “Really?” His honest and bemused tone caught Kris by surprise. All eyes fell onto Blink.

Blink’s eyes fell to the floor.  Frag, he  _ had  _ been hiding something! When he looked up again he looked… off. His eyes were slightly glazed over, all Kris could faintly see there was rage.

When Blink did speak his voice was harder than before. “Have you heard from Lucky Strike and the others?” Kris knew the question was directed at Racter.

“I believe that the onus is on you to disclose  _ your  _ past.” Racter took a long drag of his cigarette. “Not for me to disclose mine.”

Blink’s eyes narrowed. Everyone regarded the mage with obvious curiosity. Even Gobbet had stopped ogling Kris’s body to look at him.  Duncan’s reaction was what worried Kris the most right now. The fierce gaze he’d fixed Blink with reminded her far too much of the one he’d given her 0n the night she’d left. Even now she could see the scene playing out in his eyes; the confusion, the pain, the betrayal. He was going to do something drastic in a second.  


Swallowing the guilt, Kris let out a long-suffering sigh. “Nobody’s saying anything about their past.” She glanced around the room, seeing that she’d gotten everyone’s attention. She let her gaze fall hardest on Racter and Blink. “Especially before we’d had anything to eat. I don’t know about the rest of you chummers but I’m not listening to anybody without some food in my system.”

Gobbet let out a big whoop. “You’re speaking my language.” Had Gobbet picked up on what Kris was doing? Probably, with some help from Rat. Is0bel wore a neutral expression while Duncan continued to stare at Blink, though his gaze wasn’t nearly as hard as before. It pained her to see how much she’d hurt him by leaving; how much he was  _ still  _ hurting. She made a note to talk to him about it, someday...but there was just too much to do.

“I’m about to go get something to eat with Racter here. If anyone wants to join me you’re more than welcome. Just so long as you pay your own way. The nuyen from that last job didn’t go far enough to pay for all of you.”

_____   


Despite that, everybody decided to come. Even Racter had decided to come, despite the additional company, to ‘meet the neighbors’. Kris was positive there was more to it but she didn’t feel like pressing the issue. Not while Blink and Duncan were acting the way they were.  


They’d both become sullen and withdrawn but they expressed it differently. Blink wouldn’t stare at anything but the ground while Duncan would stare at nothing but  _ him.  _ How they hadn’t crashed into the crates that lined the harbor on their way was a mystery.

They all took a seat at the same table. Gobbet and Kris went to get everyone’s food. Kris had gone back on not getting everyone food, though she didn’t like to think of the hit her credstick would’ve taken had Gobbet not offered to help. The offer helped the little ork girl move up a couple of pegs in Kris’s eyes. And not just because watching the way Gobbet’s muscles flexed under the bright morning sun as she carried everybody’s food stirred Kris up. Looks like it was more meditating for her when she got back.

“Brought the food back!”  


“Thanks Kris!” Smiles all around, with Gobbet’s being the brightest. Or was it just the way Kris saw her: bright and vibrant. Like a neon street sign, she just seemed to stand out. She immediately dug into the food, stuffing her mouth with a large pastry Kris was sure was stuffed with fruit-flavored paste.  


“Yeah, thanks.” Blink was digging into some fried oysters. “Didn’t know I needed this-”

“So you weren’t a shadowrunner. Or a company man.”

Kris sighed. She’d hoped that Duncan would hold out until they’d finished eating to dig into Blink but…

Blink growled over his food. “Can’t this wait? I’m trying to eat.”

“So am I.” Duncan stared darkly down at Blink. “We’re all just trying to start the day right. You know, like normal people do.”

Blink sighed and glared back at Duncan in silence, apparently remembering the docks and the tirade Duncan had thrown at him there.  


“Do you remember the shit that went down with the Universal Brotherhood?”

Everyone stopped eating and turned to stare at Blink. Is0bel’s eyes had gone wide while Gobbet stopped chewing on the second bun. Racter’s eyebrows went up and even Koschei rose to it haunches to stare at Blink, none of its earlier aggression visible.  


Blink glanced around the table. “Glad to know that it’s still fresh on everyone’s minds. It needs to be.” He leveled Duncan with a look that he tilted his head from. “It was a total shitshow,” Blink went on. “I’ll spare you the gory tidbits about the nascent insect spirit invasion and just jump straight to the part where I was taken to Telestrian manor.”

“Telestrian? As in James Telestrian of Tir Tairngire?” Is0bel intoned. “President and CEO of Telestrain Industries? There’s got to be quite a story there.”

Blink tilted his head to her. “I was part of a team of Shadowrunner who’d made a run on his company. We’d had a run-in with those…  _ things  _ and barely made it out alive. We’d heard that James was making something that could combat them and we made a Run on his headquarters.”

Gobbet let out a sharp whistle. “That’s some hot drek, chummer.”

“Yes. As it turned out our info was novahot: Telestrain had just finished putting the final touches on a prototype weapon that would conceivably kill any and all insect spirits.”

Kris spoke up. “I’m guessing that’s when things went wrong.”

Blink nodded. “Most of use were caught leaving the building, with the only reason we weren’t geeked on the spot being that our leader was still loose in the building getting the weapon. When they finally caught him we were all taken to Telestrian manor, where we were…  _ persuaded  _ to deal with the Universal Brotherhood and stop Armageddon from happening.”

“You make it sound like quite the adventure.” Racter’s mouth creased into a weird pantomime of a smile. “And you say you were instrumental in thwarting an extraplanar invasion by hostile spirits? I’m almost envious.” Racter put his elbows on the table and rested his head on his hands. Like everyone else he was giving Blink his undivided attention, though he looked decidedly more at ease than anyone else did.

“Don’t be, because it only gets worse from there.”

Racter waved a hand at Blink. “By all means, please continue.”

“While in Telestrain’s home I made the mistake of  _ blinking  _ in front of the wrong person. Hans Brackhaus, the unofficial eyes and ears of Lofwyr.” Kris felt the chill that touched the group that exact moment.  “Hans…persuaded James to get me on the team that cleared out the hive. The things down there…” He let out a little shudder. “Getting off topic. After clearing out the hive Hans came up and offered me a position at Saeder-Krupp. Apparently, clearing out the hive had been some sort of test for me to pass.”

Kris couldn’t stay quiet after hearing that. “But you must’ve known there was more to it! No corp just takes on a Runner like that.”

The look Blink gave her was slightly patronizing. “Of course I knew that. But isn’t it amazing how limited your options are when you’re wanted for murder? There was a bounty on my head was easily enough to keep my unhappy ass waist-deep in trouble. If it hadn't been for Mrs. Kubota I’d have been dead twice over.”

Is0bel again. “I’m guessing the lure they used was the removal of the bounty on your head?”

“Hans framed it as a ‘sign-on bonus’. A fresh start, in a big company. But not right away, you understand. They had to get things ready for me, he said, so he set me up with a big-ass penthouse in Everett. I was there for a month before Hans came for me.”

Kris spoke up. “What happened then?”

Blink visibly twitched, apparently struggling with his words. “He took me to a little laboratory just outside of Heidelberg. I took the longest elevator ride of my life and got out into a darkened room. Hans said he was right behind me. But not so close that he got caught with me!”

There was a bitter twinge to Blink’s words that made Kris uneasy. “Caught?”

“The floor rumbled beneath me and I felt something all around me. When I’d called out to Hans and got no answer I turned and hit some invisible wall in the dark. The lights came on, I was in some sort of... bubble-cage, and Hans was standing on the other side with a fleet of white-coats.”

There was a noticeable pause before anybody spoke. “Your  _ blinking. _ ” Is0bel spoke up after some uncomfortable silence. “Hans, or rather Lofwyr, wanted to study your magic and constructed the lab you were held in.”

“Yep. The penthouse and getting rid of the bounty were just lures. For 6 months I was a guinea pig for scientists, who were determined to find out just what made me tick. Did you know I _weighed_ more, then? The magic I use to _blink_ affects my physical body and they wanted to see how a change in the subject’s diet, or half-starving the subject for weeks, would adversely affect its _blinking’.”_ Blink turned and spat on the ground. “Their words.”

Gobbet spoke up. “Why didn’t you just escape? Just, I dunno,  _ blink  _ out of there or something?”

“The bubble was a perfect circle made plasteel. I don’t know if I told you this but I can’t  _ blink  _ through solid objects. Walls and such are anthanema to me. And before you ask me about the astral they covered everything from the top of the bubble to the floor with so many wards that just  _ looking  _ into the astral hurt. And whenever I gave them trouble they’d flood the place with narcojet gas. Yeah there wasn’t anything I could do.”

Kris noted that there was a bit of silence after that. Gobbet looked disturbed, as did everyone else, but the discomfort on Gobbet’s face was a graver departure from her normal self. It wasn’t something the wiry adept was happy to see.

“What happened six months in?”

“I suppose that this is where I come in?” All eyes warily fell on Racter.  The rigger turned first to Blink, who gave him the barest of nods while glowering, before going on. “The group I was with before Hong Kong had been hired to do a Run of our own, at the facility where our dear Blink was being held. We were tasked to retrieve some important paydata.”

“And it was here that you met Blink.”

“I do not recall ever having giving him the time of day-”

“You didn’t,” Blink snapped bitterly, “I called out to you but never so much as looked in my direction. Only Lucky Strike spoke to me, and that was only until the troll on your team had gotten what you were all looking for, and then she just… dismissed me. But that’s neither here nor there.”

“The troll you are talking about is called Hahnchen, and he’s an exceptionally gifted decker. But as you said that’s unimportant. What does matter is that we were able to retrieve the data and eventually make our escape.”

Kris cocked an eyebrow at that. “Eventually?”

“I’ll take it from here,” Blink interjected, giving Racter a glance which he reciprocated with a nod, “They’d taken out most of the researchers and guards when they came in, all except for Bastion.”

“Who’s Bastion?”

“A massive tank-bred troll. Caught them when they were trying to leave and beat the hell out of them.” Blink grinned darkly at the disaffected Racter, “They had to trip the lab’s autodestruct to escape.”

“Huh. Then what happened?”

Blink buried his head in his hands and let out a curse, surprising Kris. “It was a shitshow. Hans came in some time later and was  _ furious _ . The troll Hahnchen had done a number to the security systems but apparently Lofwyr had caught enough to know that he’d been robbed. He ordered the entire place to be liquidated.”

Gobbet’s ears twitched. “Liquidated,” she asked, absently stroking the rats that clung to her shoulders.

“All records of the place was to be destroyed. And everyone who’d worked there and was still alive was to be killed. That order including me.”

“That’s fragged-up.”

The itinerant mage chuckled at the shaman’s observation. “Yeah pretty much. I later learned that the fruits of everyone’s work had been a part of the paydata. Every observation, every theory, every experiment, successful or not, was in there.”

Duncan chose then to finally speak up. “‘You later learned?’ How did you even get to  _ later?  _ Unless I missed the memo, dragons don’t just change their minds when they want anyone dead.”

“Some quick talking on my part.” Blink responded. “I told Hans that no rival Corp could use the paydata without holding me.  Saeder-Krupp stood to lose months of work, and serious nyuyen, if they got rid of the only people who’d researched me, but even with all their data gone they could turn it round, because from now on I’d be seriously cooperating. Anything I thought or felt,  _ anything _ they put me through I wouldn’t resist one bit. Anything to find the ultimate truth of my fragging  _ blinking.  _ Anything, just to fragging survive.”

Duncan whistled softly. “You told Hans this.” Blink nodded. “Ballsy.”  


“Indeed,” Racter followed, “That was quick thinking. Though I suppose nothing less would have sufficed in that situation. Would I be wrong to assume that things didn’t go well afterwards? You are  _ here,  _ after all. Presumably not by your own design.”

Blink favored Racter with a long look before dropping his head with a sigh. “Because of what I suggested no one else from the lab was killed, though a great many of them quickly relocated a long way from me. And the lab itself still stands, last I checked, but I don’t know what it looks like now. But, to answer your question… Bastion happened. Apparently he got quite a grilling from Lofwyr and he blamed me for it. Fragger did everything in his power to keep me down. It was because of him that I was on that ship.”

“Sounds like you got a raw deal. But then that’s what happens when you cut deals with dragons.”

“The alternative was to die and I wasn’t ready to go. But I see where you’re coming from. The deal is that I pay back everything that was damaged or destroyed in the lab in exchange for my life.”

“Wait. You mean you get experimented on, treated like some sort of lab rat, and the only way out was for you to pay for everything that happened to you?” Now Duncan was seriously angry. “That is  _ fragged _ !”   


“I agree but it was the only option open to me. As it stands I don’t get paid; it all goes towards my debt.”

“How much do you owe?”

“Seventeen million nuyen. And before you ask, I got the clothes I was wearing when you found me on company credit. And the gun is from the ship. I haven’t had a cred to my name in a long time.”

“So that settles the question about your honesty.” Kris gave Duncan a meaningful look, which he nodded to and returned to staring at Blink. He wasn’t as on edge as he was before, though he still looked angry. Kris could handle that. “But there’s still the question: just what were you expected to do for SK?”

Blink looked ready to answer but a loud crash brought his and everyone else’s attention back to the docks. There Kris spotted the weapons trunk. A man in a sharp dress suit was arguing with the troll woman who ran the gun shop behind the nightclub. The troll woman looked angrier by the minute while the man looked more and more like he’d just smelled something foul. Kris couldn’t make out words, but she could smell looming violence.

She turned to Blink, who got out of his seat and started off to the docks. He motioned for Kris and the others to wait though Duncan didn’t do that and followed along behind him. Kris watched as the company mage stepped up to the sharply dressed man, who immediately turned his distasteful gaze over to him. She watched as Blink began to talk to the man, who gradually softened over the course of the conversation. There was a confidence on Blink’s face that she hadn’t seen before.  


Blink then gestured towards the troll woman with a knowing smile. With a brisk, respectful handshake for Blink, that took Kris aback, the suit turned on his heel towards the trunk. The man opened the back of the truck and nodded to Blink, then the troll woman, who immediately motioned towards some dock workers to begin unloading.  


As this was going on the man had gone back into the front seat and returned with a small clipboard which he handed to Blink, who took it and looked it over. The mage then motioned to Duncan and then one of the boxes the workers had pulled from the truck. Kris watched her brother retrieve the box and go back to Blink, who’d signed the clipboard and handed it back to the man, who saluted him again and turned to leave in the truck.  


There seemed to be some sort of conversation between Blink and the woman, though it was too far for Kris to make out what was being said. The gun runner didn’t look angry, and was in fact beaming from ear to ear so it must’ve been good. She patted Blink on the back hard enough to stagger him and walked back to the dock workers with a huge smile on her face.  


“Everything I say and do is expected to bring something to the company. Or to advance its goals. Gun running, quelling insurrections, starting insurrections, supplying and arming any potential enemies of Lofwyr’s rivals; things a shadowrunner would normally do, apart from that last bit, so it’s not all that different than what I did before, save for those additional conditions.”

“And you don’t get paid,” Duncan added, coming up to stand beside Blink, “Can’t forget that.” He glared murder at the back of the man in the suit, and adjusted the box on his shoulders. “What’s in this anyway?”

“Most of that’s for you.” That earned a sharp glance from Duncan. “A standard infiltration kit, complete with everything one would need for discreet breaking and entering into mid-level facilities. There’s some stuff in there for Is0bel too, I think.” Blink looked down and sighed. “But you’re right about getting paid. I’d be broke without these runs. Don’t much care for being stuck in one place, with a dragon’s claw on my back, but what can you do?”

  
  
  


  
  
  
  



	8. Short Circuited pt1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The crew has been called to Whompoa to investigate a series of grisly murders.
> 
> **Edit** Italicized Duncan's thoughts and gave Blink more to say.

“... so we felt it prudent to call for outside help. Your crew came highly recommended, Point Blank. Kindly Cheng spoke quite well of you.”

“I understand completely, great elder. My crew and I pride ourselves on our discretion. Rest assured, this will be dealt with in a timely manner.”

So apparently Cheng had felt they weren't busy enough and sent them all to a place called Whompoa. A technofetishist’s wet dream, located on a galleria-sized boat: an unaffiliated data haven filled to the brim with tech enthusiasts and datamongers. The perfect place to get yourself lost in.

It'd come out beforehand that Is0bel had some history with the place; some time ago she’d been taught how to deck and shoot here. But for whatever reason, Is0bel didn't want to come. Duncan snorted. Whatever. They were dealing with a slasher, not a cybercrook. 

Gobbet had stayed behind. It was a command decision by Kris, one that made her unhappy, and not just because she’d have to spend time without the lithe ork girl. Duncan knew that she loathed making tough choices, even though she was the one out of the two of them who could. An attack dog like him had to follow orders; so he’d thought. But that was years ago, and he’d become a whole new person. Smarter. Tougher. _Thinner_. Donut Duncan was a thing of the past. Maybe it was time for him to make his own choices? He wasn’t sure.

Racter was a pragmatic choice: new, needing to be vetted, and with forensic expertise the team needed. And Blink because… well, Kris wasn’t comfortable letting him stay in Hoei. They’d met up with Cheng before they left and she was all over him. Apparently she’d gotten wind of his stunt at the docks and wanted to know what else he could do for her. Some good guns? Bleeding edge skillsofts? Blink had also gotten quite the grilling for the boxes he’d taken (allegedly for himself, though this had more to do with the fact that he hadn’t followed proper protocol, or guanxi as Cheng had said). This happened, despite the Yellow Lotus having gotten even more that day than it otherwise would have. Honestly he looked so uncomfortable during all that… Kris had wasted no time in bringing him along.

“So basically we’re here to figure out a murder, Kris?”

“That’s it yes. Why? You got any ideas Duncan?”

“I think it’s best if I took over.” _What was he saying?_ “I’m the only one here with the training and experience to solve murders. Makes sense that I be the one calling the shots.”

Kris cocked an eyebrow at him, like _she_ didn’t believe what he was saying. “You sure about this Duncan?” 

“If I wasn’t then I wouldn’t be saying anything now would I?”

“Alright. You can take the lead.”

Duncan grunted a thank you and spun towards the rest of the group. Hands locked behind his back. Back squared and chest out. Presenting to them the very definition of a take-no-drek chief, like his old bosses had copied from the trideo shows. “Alright listen up!” He roared. “We’ve got a murder on our hands, in case you’d checked out during our convo with the Whompoan elders.” He alternated his gaze between Racter and Blink. “So here’s how we’re going to do this: KRIS!”

Duncan smirked at the way his sister jumped. “Interrogate the locals. See if you can find out what they know. Racter I want you to go with her. This is a technofetishist’s paradise, and from what I’ve heard you’re good with machines. You assist Point Blank with whatever parts might fly over her head.”

“I will be happy to render assistance.” Racter answered, “Indeed, an opportunity to spend some more time alone with-”

“ _-my sister?”_ A vein went off ominously in Duncan’s forehead. Kris chuckled. There was nothing there, she just had these weird conversations with the team rigger; that guy could just unsettle anyone simply by parting his lips.

“Rest assured, I will restrain myself until the mission is complete.” There was that grin, _again_.

“-Just… help her, alright?” There he was, pinching his nose in frustration, just like those cops from the old shows. Perfect… “We can do whatever _after_ we’re done.”

“What about me?” Duncan’s crimson gaze fell onto Blink. “I suppose you want me to use my magic to-”

“Blink.” 

“...What?”

“Where do you think we are?” He opened his mouth as if to answer. Duncan cut him off. “Whompoa is a techno haven. Ergo, there’s lots of tech. What do you think the odds are of there being anything magical around here?” Duncan threw a hand up. “Don’t answer that. I don’t want to hear it. You’ll be tailing me; that way you won’t frag things up.” _And possibly meet your friends at Saeder-Krupp._

Blink looked to be struggling with what he’d been told. Briefly Duncan wondered, _should I say something - no_. Command had fallen on him. Duncan would happily shoulder the burden. He needed to trust himself. There was no room for doubt. 

Or for smartassed mages who thought they knew better.

“Mr Wu. If I might offer a suggestion.” _Racter_. “Would it not be better if Blink assisted with the interrogations? As you said this is a tech haven. And our mage is a runner for the largest tech company in the world. It is quite likely that he could leverage his corporate affiliations for information.”

“And what’s stopping them from speaking over his head? Or just saying ‘no’? Would he be able to tell the difference? No, we’ll do this my way. At least then he’ll have a chance to actually be useful.”

Racter looked at him with the same intractable, infuriating gaze he'd remembered seeing on Blink’s face. He could see why he'd gotten so damned pissed. 

Duncan sighed. No matter. He was Kris's problem now. 

“I will comply.” 

“Good. Now take Kris and try to find anything you can. And call me if things go south.”

Duncan watched Kris and Racter take off, a knot of tension in his throat he fought hard to swallow. He had this, he told himself. There was no reason to panic. Compartmentalize yourself. You can do this. 

He turned back to Blink, reading indignant rage in the mage’s eyes. “Let's get going,” he said, as he pushed past the irate wagemage towards the crime site. Duncan heard Blink behind him sigh and follow, apparently struggling to keep up with his faster stride. 

_Just like Carter said, You want to command, Duncan: you take it._

As they stepped into the house of the murder scene, Duncan’s instant concern was that Blink might faint or puke. There were blood and guts all round. The body had been hacked up like mincemeat. Seriously it looked like a cheap simsense. Especially the blood on the walls. No way had _that_ just splattered; it had been spread.

“Let me know if you need to step outside,” he said as he took out his equipment. He’d left the tools Blink had gotten for him on the Bolthole; no need to bring more than he needed. “This might take a while.” Especially with the second hand drek he'd been forced to come to Hong Kong with.

“That's… odd.”

“What's odd?” Panic rose like bile. Had Duncan missed something? He was sure the instruments were accurate. He caught himself checking it and stopped. 

“There's a trickle of emotion. A sense of… satisfaction. I think it might be the killer. The crazy thing is, that’s it. No horror, no agony, as if the victim never felt a thing.”

“What else can you tell? Can you identify the killer or tell where they went?”

Blink closed his eyes and sighed. “No to both.”

“Then you've done nothing, just like I-- wait. Wait. Wait.” _Not fair, Duncan._ “Sorry. I'm sorry. Didn't mean it. That was… some fine work you did there.” 

That was more forced than Duncan would've liked. It'd been him who wanted Blink to essentially do nothing. However… “Next time just tell me when you do something like that.” How does Kris do this all the time?

“Sure. Did you want to check out the terminal in the backroom?”

 _Drek! She had a terminal? Of course she did, they all do._ “No. Let's have Racter come and take a look at it.”

Blink smiled up at him. “Good call chief.”

Duncan paused. _Chief_. And smiled. Something bright stirred within him. “Thank you… Blink.”  
_____

“I will do my best. Give me a minute to set up my equipment.”

“You do that. Point Blank, watch his back.”

“You got it. Oh and Gunshow? Apparently there's a gang holed up in one of the old warehouses. Just thought you'd like to know.”

“Thanks. We'll check it out.”

Duncan called out to Blink, who'd taken to chatting with Racter. Laughing. Just having a good time. A flash of rage overcame Duncan. Forcibly he pulled the chatting mage away from the Russian rigger and dragged him out, through the congregation of mourners, to the warehouse Point Blank had told him about.

“You forget we're here to solve a murder?” He snapped as he pulled Blink through a narrow alley. “Several murders? Last I recalled we didn't have time for that water cooler nonsense you and the other wageslaves get whenever you please your corporate masters.”

Blink fought him all the way, despite his lesser strength, finally pulling away on the edge of the street opposite the warehouse. He glared at Duncan, panting heavily. His eyes glowed and energy crackled between his fingertips. Duncan knew that he'd crossed a line, but he didn’t even want to stop. 

“What the hell is your problem!?” 

Duncan looked down on Blink, chin raised,“This isn't simple excursion, mage. This is real life. We're here to get these people's lives in some kind of order. If you think you could do better on your own, or if you don't have the stomach to do some honest work for once in your life, then by all means,” rising to his full height Duncan threw his arms out, “blast away.”

It was a wild bluff on Duncan's part, but he'd gone too far to back out now. There was a tense moment. And Duncan could feel the sweat forming on his brow. 

Blink glared at him for a few moments, muttering curses under his breath, before he visibly -if not completely- relaxed. The trickling energy in his hands faded away, as did the glow in his eyes. His stance got much less rigid and his gaze softened. Very slightly softened.

“That's what I thought.” Duncan wasn't able to stop the sigh but he was able to turn it into a grunt. Blink didn't seem to notice. Turning his back to Blink Duncan started to setup the gear he’d gotten he first became a Star. A standard-issue bug scanner, nothing fancy.

“What are you doing?” 

“What does it look like I’m doing?” Might have been too strong, but still it had to be said. “I’m setting up the equipment. You think we’re going in blind without knowing what’s going on?”

“If that’s it we don’t have to use such a setup. I can use my magic and-”

“Blow holes in people? Run off?” Duncan scoffed. “No, I’m using something _reliable._ ”

He heard Blink huff behind him, and stomp off. “And don’t go anywhere,” Duncan said, without looking over his shoulders.“I haven’t finished setting this up yet.”

Another huff from Blink, followed by what sounded like a kicked trash bin and then Duncan felt him settle down. Good. Familiarity with the equipment helped Duncan set it up in record time. He put on the headphones that he used to listen to the signal, aimed for the warehouse, and turned on the scanner. 

...And then promptly threw the headphones onto the ground with a yowl, clutching his ears. Stupid mistake on his part; this was a data-haven, not a slum. Of course there’d be multiple conflicting signals. And of course the second-rate junktech Lone Star gave its newbies wouldn’t work. _Reliable!_

Furious, he kicked the scanner flying. His shoulders slumped. His eyes fell onto the ground. His mind had started to clear up, dejection and dried anger making way for starch-white shame. He looked after the equipment he’d sent flying; standard gear for urban units in the Barrens. _This was not the Barrens._

Duncan chuckled darkly. _Some chief I’m turning out to be._

There was a footstep behind him. Someone was coming closer. Blink. Duncan had forgotten he was there. His anger reemerged. That fragging mage; if he’d just used his magic then- _No Duncan._

Duncan stopped himself. Took a deep breath. And then another, followed by several more. Focused on finding his center. Soon he cooled off, though a nugget of anger and rage remained. His stomach rumbled; _finally, something so simple that even I can’t frag it up._

Duncan turned around and said to Blink, inwardly smiling at his fear and confusion. “… I'm hungry. You watch this place while I go get something to eat. If something happens be sure to call me.” He leaned close to Blink’s face, his red goggles inches from his eyes. “You can do that much right?” He growled.

Blink looked like he was going to say something, but instead he turned his head and nodded. It would have to do. “Glad to hear it. Be right back.”

The noodle cart he'd passed was still there, and luckily still open. He ordered some food and a large cup of soykat. In his experience stakeouts tended to be long and end abruptly. He hated wasting food. He always had. Duncan chuckled as he stepped into the alley; what a time to remember how things used to be.

“Hey there. Moment of your time?”

Duncan stopped dead in his tracks and looked around. 

“Over here big guy.” Standing to his right was a scraggly looking man with faintly glowing purple eyes. He had a sort of self assured air to him, though the scowl on his face told a different story. He held up his hands, palms out. “Easy there. Don't mean to cause you any problems.”

“Then you won't have any problems explaining yourself mr…?” He let his voice trail off. This man didn’t set off any alarms, except for those eyes, but he kept his guard up anyway.

“Demergo, formally of the NYPD. Thaumaturgical forensics.”

“Formerly,” Duncan scoffed, “What did you do, quit? Or were you let go?”

Demerol held up a finger. “The first one. Gave the boys in blue 20 of the best years of my life. Got tired of all the drek and left. Never looked back.”

As Demergo was speaking Duncan had been sizing him up. Everything he said seemed to be above board, and he didn't _look _like he had some secret agenda. If anything he looked… tired.__

____

__

“Duncan. Lone Star.” He grimaced. “Former Lone Star.”

Demerol nodded sagely. “I had you pegged as a badge. You get a sixth sense about these things.” If the man had any questions he kept them quiet.

Duncan visibly relaxed, standing against the wall opposite Demergo. “Takes one to know one at its finest. Ch-! Ain't that a bitch?”

“I'll get right to the point then. Are you here about the murders of the Whompoan Elders?”

“Yep. Why? Did you want the job?”

Demergo shook his head no. “They'd asked me to look into it but I'd turned them down.” Demergo took a long hit of his smoke and exhaled into the night sky. “I came here to get away from all that; I'm not going to put myself through that again.”

Duncan signed. “I hear you man.” He'd missed this: cop talk. Shooting the breeze with a fellow officer. Even though neither of them were active law enforcement. And one of them had been forcefully removed. Just the thought depressed him. “But I can't complain. If I had to do it all over again I would. No regrets.”

That got a nod and a smile from the slightly older man. “Good man. Glad to hear it. I have some information about your case if you're interested. I'm feeling generous right now and you seem like a good sort.”

“Sure I'll take whatever you can give me.”

“Good. So, You know how the police are usually not allowed in Whompoa?” Duncan shook his head and said no. “Didn't think so. So anyways about two weeks ago this really big HKPF truck domes barreling in and enters that warehouse.”

Demergo points out of the alley. Duncan follows his finger to the warehouse he'd left Blink to watch. “That one? What happened?” 

“Two things: they didn't come back out and the squad sent to see what had happened was turned away. The police tried to force their way in, but after Whompoa released information about the Vice-Chief’s secret affairs they backed off and hadn't been back since.”

“Huh.” Duncan glanced at the warehouse. “I'd better tell Blink. Maybe we can make a plan or something?”

“Who's Blink?”

Briefly Duncan floundered on just what to say before settling on something familiar. “Blink is this new guy I got saddled with; a novahot mage with not a lot of sense.”

Demergo blinked. “So Blink’s a rookie?”

The word made Duncan's throat catch. _Carter_. He took several deep breaths to calm his nerves and looked back at Demergo, whose distant stare had suddenly become far less distant. And a lot harder.

The next words took the wind out of Duncan's sails. “You left a rookie alone on a stakeout?”

 _Drek._

Suddenly Duncan felt really strange. And he knew that he had to check on Blink. Without saying another word to Demergo, Duncan took off in a dead spring, dripping his food in his haste, out of the alley, and up to the empty sidewalk he'd told Blink to wait at.

“Where is he?” Apparently Demergo had followed him. “I don't see anyone.”

Duncan frantically scanned the area, looking for any sign of Blink. The “No he's not. You don't think that he-” he stopped mid-sentence when he spotted a large hole in the warehouse. “Yes he did. Drek, he went inside!”

The two of them charged across the street. Screams and violent flashes of light greeted them when they reached the door.

 _Drek. Drek. DREK!_  
___

The scene that awaited them was… rather different from what Duncan had been expecting. From floor to the ceiling was flecked with red. There were scorch marks and ruined drugs or electronics amidst a heap of smoldering corpses.

The sound of someone panting drew his attention outward. He spotted Blink, crouched against a pillar some distance away from them. There was a movement to Duncan's right; a half-dead ganger reaching out to them. with a hand missing several fingers. Blink aimed his gun, and helped that ganger into the next life.

Duncan and Demergo ran to Blink, sliding into crouches on opposite sides of him. “I'm not hurt,” Blink quipped, his words punctuated with heavy gasps, “just tired. I'd forgotten why I don't rush into fights anymore. I remember now.” He chuckled. "Magic, it's a hell of a rush but damn am I drained."

“This isn't funny Blink! What the frag were you thinking? You could’ve been killed. You can't just-” A hand on his shoulders stopped Duncan's tirade. Turning to its owner he was given a firm look, a subtle shake of the head, his fury relented. Slightly. “Are you alright? That's all that matters.”

Blink tilted his head up to glare at Duncan with an intensity the ork didn’t think the exhausted mage still had. _He’s still mad._ “I'm fine Duncan. just fine.” _Definitely still mad._ Blink flicked his iron gaze from Duncan to Demergo, who greeted him with a wink and a smile. “Nice to meet you too random stranger.” Demergo’s eyes narrowed at the bite in Blink’s tone.

 _Oh no._ “This is Demergo. He's a former cop. Like me.” He didn't know why he felt it was necessary to add that last part, but he did. 

Blink nodded to him, his glare softened ever so slightly. “Well-met Demergo. I appreciate the offer of assistance, however late it came.” He tried to soften his words with a laugh but all that came out were more gasps. At least Demergo didn’t look angry anymore. “Oh and Duncan? I know what you're thinking,” he said in between gasps and coughs, “And don't worry. I didn't do this on a whim. I vetted the place first. And them.” Blink pointed to the slew of dead gutterpunks. “They were cybered to the gills but it was all second hand crap most chopshops and riggerdocs would’ve thrown out. They couldn't sense my scrying.”

“Why were you scrying? What were you looking to find?” Just the act of talking helped Blink regain some of his color and Duncan wanted to keep him animated.

“In my scrying I caught a glimpse of an aura similar to the one back at Elder Nu’s. I… let myself in and the gangers caught me. I tried to explain to them that I'd only come to inspect something but they didn't believe me and wouldn't let me leave. So I killed them all and followed through with a more hands-in inspection of the place.”

Duncan and Demergo shared a glance equal parts awestruck and incredulous, though Duncan was enraged as well. How reckless could one fool be? But despite that, Duncan pressed on. “What did you find?”

Reaching into his coat Blink pulled out a plastic pouch with a red… something inside. “This. I don't know what it is though.” 

Demergo leaned in closer. “Mind if I take a look at it?” 

Blink glanced at Duncan, who nodded to Demergo.”Go right ahead.”

Demergo looked it over for a solid thirty seconds before handing it back. “Red Samurai,” he'd said simply. “Renraku red samurai. They’re the only ones who use this material and bright red color.”

This bit of knowledge shook Duncan; red samurai are nothing to sneeze at. Suddenly the deaths of an entire squad of Hong Kong’s finest didn't seem so far fetched.

“And you got this where,” Duncan had asked Blink, who pointed to a sewer gradient behind the pillar he’d been leaning on. 

“Over there. It was hanging a ways away from the opening, which, you'll be happy to hear I didn't even try to open. There were also some wicked-looking cuts in the stone. Got any idea what could've done that?

“Don't know. That just --” The chirp of his commlink cut Duncan off. It was Point Blank. He turned to Demergo. “I gotta take this.”

“Go. I'll take care of things here.”

Duncan nodded his thanks and opened his commlink. “What did you find?” He watched Demergo help Blink onto his feet as he listened to his sister gave her report. The mage leaned panting against the pillar but at least he was on his feet. At least he didn't look at he did back at the site. Did Kindly have any training facilities? He'd have to remember to ask. Discreetly.

“Okay, we'll be over there shortly. Thanks for your work.” Duncan nearly gagged. Had he just said that? At least Kris seemed to find it funny. 

Duncan closed the call in a huff, and worked to hide what he knew was a furious blush before returning to the others. “Apparently Kris’s silver tongue transcends national boundaries. She’d managed to get a key to the decker store that belonged to the first victim.”

“Magpie.” Demergo readjusted his glasses as he pulled away from Blink. “A real shrew that one. Novahot decker but a really difficult person to get along with. Her store’s got some pretty sweet tech, or at least that’s what I’ve been told.”

“Thanks for the info. You think that might have something to do with it?”

A shrug. “Could be. You'll have to see for yourself. I've already stretched myself too far and this isn't even my case. I'm gonna grab some soykat and check out the trids. Maybe crash for a day or two.”

Duncan nodded and stuck his hand out. “Well anyways thanks for your help.”

Demergo gave him a good firm handshake. “Pleasure working with you Duncan.” Suddenly he pulled Duncan in close. “Go easy on him. Remember what it was like being a rookie, with all the world out to get you. You'll need to be there for him because no one else will.”

“Yeah I hear ya.”

With a firm back pat Demergo pulled away and stepped out of the warehouse, and into the night. Duncan watched him go with a smiled and then turned to Blink.

 _Go easy on him, he said. Like he needs that._

“You gonna be alright, rookie? The shop’s not far but you look like shit.”

Blink looked at Duncan in such a way that he thought he’d pissed him off again. Duncan started to say that he hadn’t meant it but Blink started to chuckle. “Heh. I feel like it too. But don't worry, I'll be fine. Probably won't be picking any fights any time soon. You know it's funny. I should still be mad at you but I just can't find it in myself. ” The look Blink gave him twinkled with mischievousness. No anger. No rage. “Don't get me wrong; I still don't like the way you treated me. That temper of yours..." Blink sighed. "But this is your first command, and I haven't exactly been making the smartest choices." _Something we have in common,_ Duncan ruefully realized. "I keep forgetting that I'm not the novahot runner I used to be. I've still got a long way to go and I'm guessing you do too? I'm willing to put this behind us if you are. I'd rather this not get out." Blink started to chuckle. "Life or death struggles' I'd forgotten how they really put things into perspective, you know.” He looked down for a while, a soft thoughtfulness on his face that made Duncan fight against smiling. “I think I'll take your lead from here on out. This is your case, Chief.”

Duncan sighed in relief, and then started to chuckle too. No more magic suicide runs.

“Glad to hear it.”

___

Kris and Racter were already waiting in front of the store, and apparently had been for quite some time.

“Point Blank had the most outlandish theories about where you were. Pirates. Ghouls. The Hong Kong Police Force. It was most fortuitous that you arrived when you did. I was afraid that drastic measures would have to be taken.”

_You do know that's my sister you're talking about right!?_

Blink stepped out from behind Duncan. “Um, Racter? How are those ‘outlandish’? They sound perfectly reasonable.”

“Apart from the near universal distant for ghouls in nearly every country on Earth pirates are most likely clients of Whompoa and this would know better than to mess with triad associates. And is it not common knowledge that the HKPF is not permitted within Whompoa? If anything were to have killed you my guess is that it would have been the gangers that had holed up in the warehouse down the street.”

Duncan eyes met Blink’s and the two started to laugh. “Might I ask what is so funny?” Racter's steely eyes searched them both. And unless he'd missed it Duncan could've sworn he sounded… annoyed? Whatever.

Duncan stopped laughing enough to give Racter an answer. “I have it on good authority that the HKPF were let in a few weeks ago. They even went to the same warehouse.” 

Then it was Blink’s time to shine. “And as for the gangers, I can personally guarantee that they're no longer a problem.”

“Except for maybe the cleanup-crews.” Brief laughter erupted from Blink and Duncan.

“Sounds like the two of you had an exciting evening.” Steel settled on Blink. “Some of you more than others.” His gaze shifted to Duncan. “I would be more appreciative if you told me of your adventures.

“We'll tell you about it later. What have you found?”

“Only that the killer has been targeting the elders exclusively. We're still unsure as to why but the signs all point to some shady dealings on their end.”

“That figures.” Duncan rolled his eyes. “Does this have anything to do with Rekaku’s red samurai? We found a piece of armor in the warehouse.”

Kris and Racter shared wide-eyed glances. “We're not sure yet but if that's true then Whompoa might've finally bitten off more than it can chew.”

“But we will never get to the bottom of this out here. Come, let us go inside.”

The interior looked like it'd been ransacked thoroughly. Racter swept a cold gaze over the shelves.

“Whoever hit this place took the most expensive items only. A very discerning punk.”

Duncan nodded briefly. He also noted that only the shiniest displays were either damaged or destroyed. Anything cheap or ugly was left alone. It made Duncan uneasy to think that this was an inside job. Weren't the Whompoans like family to one another? And what family robs from themselves? He didn't like this. Not at all.

Racter indicated a large server that had been hacked open. “I would assume that the memory has been wiped.”

Kris inched closer to the busted machine. “Do you think we can get anything from this? Something we could use?”

“Looks like I came here just in time.” A voice behind them, “You won't find anything there and I wouldn't recommend touching it either.”

Duncan twirled around, hand on his gun. By the entrance stood a familiar dark skinned dwarf, sporting an equally familiar scowl.

“You could taint the evidence but then that's not my area of expertise.” She gave Duncan a stony look, “It's yours.”

“Is0bel! Thought you weren't coming.”

A simple shrug. “I figured that you might need my help. And I wanted to return. Whatever's killing the elders is taking a piece of my history. I've already lost too much. I won't rest until I stop them dead.”


	9. Short Circuited pt2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is0bel's back and Duncan continues to investigate, dragging the crew into the sewers.

“...Whatever's killing the elders is taking a piece of my history.” Is0bel had said, “I've already lost too much. I won't rest until I stop them dead.”

“‘Already lost too much’?” Duncan inquired, “What do you mean by that-?”

Is0bel cut him off. “Don’t worry about that. All you need to know is that I’m here  _ now _ and that’s what matters.” She spun around to look up at a bewildered Kris. “Plus Gobbet wouldn’t stop going on about you. It stopped being sweet  _ very  _ shortly after you left and started being annoying. She's worried about you Kris.”

A burst of blush on Kris’s face nearly made Duncan smile.“O-oh. Okay.” She quickly collected herself. “And it’s Point Blank.”

“Oh yes, your street name. Smart.” She flicked her gaze between Kris and Duncan. “You’ve got that APB out on you so you can’t be too careful I guess.” She flicked her eyes over to Blink, impassively watched as he clutched his chest and gasped. “What happened to you?”

At this Duncan slid in front of Blink, grabbing the dwarf’s gaze. “Short version: he cleared out a warehouse full of gangers by himself. He still hadn’t recovered.”

Is0bel blinked, her expression turned incredulous. “An entire gang, all by himself.” She looked past Duncan, significantly impressed. “Not bad Blink.”   


Blink managed a grin despite his exhaustion. “Yep. Probably won't be doing that again any time soon.”  _ Damn right you won’t,  _ Duncan mentally growled.

“We're getting off track,” the ork turned to Is0bel, exasperated. “ Do you know anything about Magpie? What can you tell us about this place?”   


“She was a real hardass but a damn good decker; damn shame she died. And as for this place, well, I can safely say that it’s been picked over. All the good stuff’s gone.” She pointed to the busted server. “And whatever was on the server is gone now. Did it look like this at the other places?”

Duncan emphatically shook his head. “No it didn’t. Not enough blood and broken bodies, baring the warehouse,” he glanced warningly at Blink, who winked back. “Even that place had some wicked-looking cuts in the walls and a piece of red samurai armor.”

“Red samurai! Drek!” Is0bel ran her hand through her hair. “This just gets better and better. Well I don't know about that,” she too looked knowingly at Blink, “and I suspect neither do you, but I can tell you that this,” and she gestured at the ruined shop, “was just a break in and robbery.”

“Do you think the red samurai could really be involved?” asked Kris, “Because this seems a bit more street-level than what they're known for.”

Is0bel nodded “Agreed. And from what I remember of Magpie she was always smart about any corps work that came her way. She wouldn’t bring that kind of heat down on Whampoa; it’s not good for business.”

Duncan turned to Blink. “Back in the warehouse did you see anything that looked like it was from here?”

Blink shook his head. “No. Those gangers ran drugs, not tech. And what they  _ did _ have looked and worked worse than what's been left behind here.”

Kris scratched the back of her head and glanced at Racter. “There go our theories.”

“Possibly, but we cannot discount what we have already learned. There was much to glean from Master Tong’s domicile, despite its condition.”   


Duncan glanced between his sister and Racter, suddenly very irritated to be left out of the loop. “Mind filling me in,” he asked, his forehead vein popping out again.   


Kris went on to explain what she and Racter had found that Tong had been making BTL chips on the sly. ““His terminal had been wiped clean,” Racter explained, “much like this store, but I was able to run some diagnostics on his machine and found a suite of BTL-making software.”

“Then we have a possible motive then.” Is0bel interrupted. “Magpie hated making BTL chips; felt they stood to make more handling the matrix for the triads than getting junkies slotted out of their minds. And Tong and Magpie had always been at each other’s throats.”

Duncan groaned, head in hands frustration. “So the only possible person we know of who could have a motive for the murder, was in turn murdered.”  Terrific.   


“We could search her room. It’s right in the back. I don’t know what we might find but it couldn’t hurt.”

“Good idea,” Duncan sighed.  _ And maybe that’ll help take away from this headache. _

The backroom was a much larger mess than Duncan had anticipated. How did Magpie manage to get anything accomplished? He took out his gloves and carefully sifted through the trash, being careful to not deliberately break anything.   


He’d sent the others (save for Blink) across the room to do the same, though only Racter had the same idea to wear gloves. Blink sat on the small loveseat by Magpie’s workstation. He was listening to Duncan now, and actually following along with what he’d said. A light smile bloomed on the ork’s face.  _ If he keeps this up then I may just start to like him.   
_

A call from the bathroom shook him out of his thoughts. “Dun- er, Gunshow!” A flush of irritation.  _ Was it really that hard to follow orders?  _ “I found Magpie. Or rather what’s left of her.”

“What?”    


Kris called out again, reiterating what she’d said. This drew Duncan from his seat, and with a ‘stay there' to Blink he marched up to Kris. And a blood-stained bathroom drain. It was like the warehouse all over again, save for the blood had long since dried.   


“Damn.”

“Yeah.”

Something bumped Duncan on the side and pushed past him.  _ Is0bel. _

She stared fixedly at the ugly red trailing down the drain, her face an inscrutable wall of stone. It bothered Duncan to not know what she was thinking. He knew how he felt when Raymond had been taken from him. A ball of fear got caught in his throat and he struggled to swallow it.

_ Get your head in the game Duncan. He’s still out there. You just gotta find him. _

“What do you think happened? Think they tried to flush her down the drain?”

“Could be. And didn’t clean up too well afterwards.” The scene didn’t lend any other credible theories. Duncan thought of the 162s back in Seattle, the ghoul gang who would tear their victims to pieces, and his hackles rose. Should he being Blink in? Nah. Duncan didn’t want to stretch the recovering mage’s magic more than necessary. “This is the sort of thing that ought to make the neighborhood rounds for weeks. When you and Racter made your rounds, did you uncover anything pertaining?”

“...No. We didn't find much. None of the locals knew anything beyond that there's been some murders. Heard some interesting stories, had some great food, but other than that, no.”

Well Duncan knew how he felt: exasperated. A respected elder is hacked to pieces in her own home and flushed down the toilet and no one comments on it? This was definitely suspicious, and in more ways than one. Were the townies in on this? Demergo would know, but he’d said he’d be off. Duncan’s suspicions mounted. Had he been following him just off the case? Duncan doubted that. Even still, maybe he should call him. The warehouse wasn't - wait a minute! “Blink! Back at the warehouse do you remember where you found that piece of red samurai armor?”

“It was by a sewer grate. Why, do you think we'll find more gangers down there?”

“No and we're not looking for them either. We're here to track a killer, not some BTL-slingers. We don't need to get off track by putting out every fire that pops up.”

“That is an excellent point. I was just about to say something to that effect.”

“...thanks.” Duncan knew he should feel grateful but getting complimented by Racter felt… strange. “Let's head out to the warehouse so we can get the hell out of here.”

__

“...so you cleared out the warehouse all by yourself? That is really something Blink.” Racter lingered in the back of the group with Koschei keeping him company. Duncan had taken point -as was proper for someone in command- with Kris and Is0bel flanking him

“I thought it was more reckless than anything,” Blink said. He looked better for the rest, and was no longer panting. “I’m not likely to try anything like that again.”

Duncan had spent the last several minutes collaborating with PB and Is0bel about their findings, despite his attention being admittedly on the young mage lagging behind him. They’d stopped for some food. Duncan bought some for himself and for Blink, making sure that the mage made sure to eat it all.   


“I am not surprised; my knowledge of magical phenomenon is admittedly rather limited but I can say that throwing oneself completely into something can become quite taxing if not done in moderation. However, if I may inquire further; when you said that you assensed a site nearby, were you not concerned about possible contamination due to a fight? Or does the astral different from the physical realm?”

Duncan had hailed Blink a few times but Racter had taken the mage’s complete attention. “Overall I’d say that it’s similar to meatspace as it’s easy to get lost in sensations as it would be here; and even easier to lose them and not be able to find them again. I didn’t want to risk either of those so  I kept the gangers as far from the site as possible.”

“So you forced them to remain in one place while you killed them.” Thoughtful amusement tingled Racter's voice. “Incredible. I find myself curious about your magic-”

At that moment Duncan slowed his pace just enough to get in front of Blink and Racter. “Blink, break’s over. When we get to the warehouse I want you to show Point Blank and I  _ exactly  _ where these so called claw marks were.”

“You got it chief. We'll talk more later Racter.” Duncan watched as Blink walked faster and remained on his heels, never taking his eyes off of him. He noticed his sister glancing at him over her shoulder and mutter something to Blink before slowing her pace enough to reach him.

“Everything alright Gunshow? You're glaring at Blink like he did something wrong. I thought you two were proper chummers now.”

“It's nothing you need to worry about.”

“Really?” Kris’s voice adopted that high pitched hiss it took whenever she started to tease him. She even had her trademark smirk on. “Cause it looked like you didn't like the way he was talking to Racter. I’m not sure why. I mean I don’t think that Racter’s even Blink’s type-”

“I said don’t worry about it! Go talk with Blink, you two figure some drek out.”

His sister gave him a long look before she closed her eyes, sighed and sped up to Blink, leaving Duncan in the middle of the group, alone, with everyone else either out in front or behind him, with only his cynical thoughts, momentarily, for company.

_ You said you wanted to take command; you did, and now you command. All. By. Yourself. _

__

Duncan couldn't get to the warehouse fast enough. Once inside he directed the group to search the perimeter. Kris had absconded with Blink, and searched the northwest corner with him. Duncan didn't really mind; Blink was damn near useless in that state. And so long as he wasn't anywhere near Racter Duncan didn't give a shit what Blink did.

“Did you find the sewer grate yet, Point Blank?”

“I think so. It's like Blink said, there's some wicked looking cuts in the walls and pillars. They look like they were done in a singular strike. Probably a sword. There’s also some wicked looking claw marks too.” Kris whistled. “What do you think happened here?”

“I'm not sure. We'll keep looking.” Blink stood beside her, his eyes glazed over and darting about.  _ Assensing,  _ Duncan realized. “Find anything Blink?”

“The impression’s gone. There's nothing here.” Eyes slowly regained their color. “Unsurprising. It was rather weak. You want to scoop out what’s inside.”

“Yes I do. We didn’t come all this way just to turn around.”

“Then you’d better let me open it.” Is0bel spoke up. “Whampoans tended to be rather paranoid so there’s likely to be traps. Scratch that, there  _ are  _ traps down there. Give me a minute and I’ll deactivate them.”

Duncan scuffed. “You do that.” He watched as Is0bel pulled out her deck and let her hands fly across the board, the tiny decker’s eyes locked onto the manhole. Seconds rolled by and then there was a click. Is0bel rose to her feet and turned to Duncan with a wink. “Atta girl!”

“Kris you go in first. Racter you’re next. While you’re down there see if can find anything with Koschei. I’ll stay and help Is0bel and Blink down.” He gleefully ignored the indignant looks the latter two gave him and stepped out of the way to let Kris and the rigger pass. Once they were down there Duncan moved to help Is0bel.”

“I can get myself down,” she snapped, followed by a rapid descent.   


Duncan chuckled down at her before turning to Blink, who’d moved to follow her shortly after.

“What she said; I can get myself down.”

“Hmm. But you won’t.” And he could mount a protest Duncan hoisted Blink onto his shoulders and climbed down the latter into the sewers.   


“There we go,” Duncan quipped as he set Blink onto his feet, his hands lingering on the small of his back, and a tad surprised by how reluctant he was to let him go, “See how easy it is when you listen to me?”

“That was totally unnecessary Duncan.”

“Gunshow. And yes it was. Point Blank, any word from Racter?”

Kris turned to him and nodded. “He said he found something strange further up and went to investigate.”   
No sooner had she said that that Duncan spotted the Russian rigger turn the corner. He cooed gently to something just out of Duncan’s sight, which turned out to be Koschei. The sewer smell was so pungent that they came close before Duncan realised they were splattered _ – _ the drone was  _ covered _ _ – _ by blood.

“What the hell happened to you?”   


“Koschei and I have happened across something fascinating.” He gestured behind him, “in a small room, there is a veritable mound of assorted bodies in differing states of wholeness and decomposition.” He rambled on, almost as if he hadn’t noticed how queasy everyone else was becoming. “Of course I had Koschei investigate, and we found something unusual, for lack of a better term: at first glance it would look like the bodies had been torn apart but upon closer inspection they were found to have been cut apart. And expertly, at that.”

“And I take it that you dug into this pile of rotting metahuman flesh just to test this theory?”  _ Does nobody care about contaminating the evidence? And who reacts to a pile of dead bodies like this? _

“I had to verify what I had uncovered. It was, as I already stated, most unusual. I wonder if it could be the same killer.” Racter shrugged. “And for what purpose would the killer need body parts? These are most fascinating questions.”   


“Yeah I’ll bet… What do you make of this Kris?”

“Too suspicious to ignore but not enough to formulate any good theories.”

_ Or pleasant ones.  _ “Racter, when you searched the bodies did you find anything unusual? Anything that could possibly relate to the murders?”

“I believe so.” He pulled out a beautiful locket and handed it to Duncan. “When I came down I immediately set Koschei to scan for anything unusual: infrared, ultraviolet, the like. We uncovered this amidst the bodies.”   


Duncan palmed it in his hand. “Looks like there’s an address on the back. Is0bel, what do you make of it?”   


“It’s the address to Magpie’s stockroom, if I can remember right.”

“Right. So then is this some way to get in or are we shit out of luck?”   


“Shit out of luck. And we don’t have the keycard. We’ll have to find another way in but I wouldn’t hold my breath.”

“Damn it! I- shh.”

Everyone went silent. There in Duncan heard it; shouting, swearing - the sounds of people. They weren’t alone.

“Who do you think it is?”

“We’d better find out. Be careful; we don’t know what to expect. And I doubt that Blink has it in him to pull of another stunt like he did before.”

___

“Alright. Nobody move or the mage gets it!”

When they’d found the hideout they scoped out six gangers bellyaching to each other in Russian, surrounded by boxes of tech.   


“Decker gear,” Is0bel had stated, as she hid behind the crates, “They must’ve been the ones who hit Magpie’s place and raided Tong’s terminal.”

“Vory, from their tattoos,” Racter whispered calmly, “Russian mafia; thieves.”

Duncan had motioned for the others to come, and had apparently knocked something over.

“Who’s there!?”

Suddenly guns. As leader Duncan had stepped in to talk. He spoke with confidence and conviction. And a justified contempt for the other party. Words quickly grew heated and Duncan had to dive behind a crate to avoid the first volley of gunfire. He came back up with his rifle aimed, and stitched bullets across the chest of the first Vory to go down.    


Bullets and spells were thrown from both sides. Grenades were thrown, destroying much of the stolen merchandise. Duncan got to see that Racter was an even worse shot than Blink. However he handled Koschei extremely well, and directed the drone to one of their three kills. Another Vory threw a smoke grenade, which quickly blanketed the marginally sized sewer room. The first thing anybody saw when the smoke cleared was the sight of Blink with an ork ganger’s arm holding him tight against her body and a gun pressed against his face.

_Drek!_ “Blink!” Duncan growled.  He  started to take off, his mind ablaze with rage. The ganger eyed the angry ork with a wicked grin and _tsked-tsked_ while pressing said gun up harder into Blink’s face, stilling Duncan’s belligerent charge. Duncan felt the barrel of a gun press against his back and heard the ganger holding it blow him a kiss.

“Now now,” called the ganger holding Blink, “Wouldn’t want anything to happen to your friend here. Why don’t you calm your ass down?”

Duncan growled once again, his hands clenching around his gun. He stared straight ahead at Blink, the latter’s eyes reflected the anger building up within Duncan’s own soul. Duncan placed his gun onto one of the few crates that hadn’t been destroyed in the fight and motioned for the others to do the same. The ganger behind him kept the gun at the small of his back. She placed a hand on his back and pushed him forward, dropping it lower as he stepped forward, until she felt his ass which she slapped with an appreciative snigger.   


Duncan growled and started to turn, only for the woman to move the gun to his cheek. “Now now handsome. We can do it like that… but I don’t think your friends would like that.”

Duncan glanced around at the others, who’d been simarlily disarmed. He looked back at Blink, who’d sensibly stopped struggling when a gun was on him, and then relented.

“Now see wasn’t that easy,” purred the molesting hussy behind him, “Oy, boss, what do you think? They with the tech-freaks?”   


“Don’t know. But that wiggin-lookin rigger had one weird lookin’ drone. Probably get some good nuyen for it.”

Racter chose the absolute worst time to get angry. “I very much doubt that any of you would be able to understand Koschei’s intricate design-”

“Keep that up, handsome. and we’ll ventilate your face. Then we’ll see what’s so intricate about  _ your  _ design.”   


At that Duncan heard some scuffling and then saw Koschei hop onto a crate. The little drone flashed its mandibles angrily at each of the gangers, its red eyes flashing bright hate.   


“Well well,” said the boss, who looked at it with hushed awe, “That’s some drone. I have to hand it to you, rigger, your drone’s loyal. You got an A.I. or something in there?”

“Something like that.” Racter’s face was twisted in rage, but his voice was even… almost inviting. Duncan noticed the rigger staring hard at Blink, who retained eye contact with him.   


“Hey Rickta!” The ganger behind Kris and Is0bel called out. “Go get that drone. And don’t the rest of you get any ideas; we still got your mage and your leader.” The gun on his back pressed harder into him as a warning. “Got it?”

When all she got in response were some angry glares she smirked. “Thought so.” At that she flicked her eyes at Rickta and then again to Koschei. While this was going on Racter had been flicking his gaze between Koschei and Blink, the latter of whom got a big smirk on his face.   


Just as Rickta put away her gun and stepped up to Koschei Blink grabbed the leader’s hand hard enough to make her yowl and then  _ blinked  _ them both over to Rickta, just an inch in front of Koschei. Both gangers barely had a chance to process what had happened before Koschei deployed his rotary saw and jumped.   


There were two screams, then Koschei slashed both throats to their spines. Screams became the noise of a bursting tyre from ruined throats, ending in bloody gurgles. The ganger holding Blink released him and slumped to her knees, futilely struggling to stem the blood flow. Rickta had fallen onto the ground, a puddle of blood blooming beneath her twitching body.   


The ganger behind Duncan screamed for her boss. Her gun shifted. Duncan spun around to grab her gun hand and swept her off feet and onto the ground. He flipped her onto her back and pulled both arms behind her.   


He felt the familiar presence of Kris behind him. “You alright Duncan?”

“Never better.” The ganger struggled against Duncan, uselessly. “What about Blink?”

There was a gunshot and a loud splat. The body beneath Duncan went slack. Duncan followed the gunshot to see a scarily furious Blink, eyes glowing with magic, a gun in his outstretched hand, aimed at the ganger.   


“ _ I’m. Fine.”  _ He hissed between grit teeth. “Never better.”

Duncan blinked at him and smiled. “Good to know. You’re really racking up the kills-”

The sight and sounds of Blink slumping onto his knees and retching onto the floor cut him off.   


“Spoke too soon, eh?” Duncan snipped, earning a free birdie, “Glad to hear it.” He turned to case the place. A growing puddle of blood flowed from the now-dead ganger boss and her friend. It was a similar story for the other gangers, including the one below him who’d just stopped twitching and was bleeding silently onto his new boots.

“Everyone fan out an inspect the place. See what you can find.” 

___

“Wasn't expecting this place to be so… empty.” Blink commented, glancing around Magpie’s storehouse a short time later, “Like it's been picked over.”

“Don't let your guard down; for all we know it could only look empty. It'd be the perfect place for an ambush.” Even if it  _ was  _ barren.  _ Had the storeroom been picked over too? _

“Hey! Come check this out. There's good food laid out.”

Is0bel rolled her eyes. “So we're just gonna eat food that's been left out for who knows how long? Is that what we've come to?”

“Hey no one said anything about eating it,” Kris huffed. “It's just weird that's all. Look at how well it's been prepared.” A few sniffs.  _ What the fuck Kris? Sniffing and tasting the drugs is for the idiots on TriD!   _ “And lightly seasoned? Racter what do you make of this?”

“Hmmm. Culinary expertise is not one of my strong suits I'm afraid. What about you Blink?”

The sound of a door opening brought Duncan’s hand to his gun. Everyone around Duncan took their weapons out. Kris went through the motions he’d come to know as her pre-battle ritual, shifting slowly into a fighter’s stance. Is0bel checked her pistol, and looked for cover. Koschei scurried across the room to hide its bright red eyes and weaponry behind some boxes. Blink closed his eyes and muttered something under his breath and Duncan felt the air around him shift. Had Blink just cast a spell on him? He didn’t feel any different. Himself then. Duncan barely had time to register Blink taking his gun out and sliding into a crouch ( _ like Carter) _ before his attention was arrested by the figure that walked in.   


“What the hell?”

A ghoul, plain and simple, wearing the red armor of Renraku’s finest warriors. Grey, flaking flesh, the stooped gait, opaque eyes under a cue-ball bald dome. The beast levelled its sword from its shoulder...like a practised fighter. Facing five enemies, mindful and undaunted.   


“Had I known I would be having guests,” he stated in a heavily accented tone, “I’d have put out more food. But then maybe it’s for the best. I suspect that none of you would be comfortable with what I prepare.”

Did the ghoul just make a joke?   


“An astute observation.” Racter murmured, drily.    


“Is that ghoul wearing red samurai’s armor?” Duncan burst out, “How the hell did he get that? Killed one?”   


Is0bel shook her head. “Doubtful. The red samurai are extremely well-trained. It’s unlikely that one of them would fall to a ghoul.”

The ghoul turned to Is0bel and bowed. “Well met dwarf, and thank you for the compliment. I am Gaichu, formerly of the Red Samurai.”

_ How had he known that Is0bel was a dwarf? Aren’t ghouls blind? How did he even know where she was?  And did he just say he was red samurai?! _

“You are probably wondering how I knew where and what you were,” the ghoul went in, seemingly in response to Duncan’s thoughts, “I merely focused on the source of your voice in proximity to the ground. That is, unless you’re a gnome.”

Duncan motioned to Is0bel to step back, and for Kris to guard her.

“It is wise for you to be cautious.” his featureless eyes followed Kris as she moved, “We ghouls must consume the flesh of metahumans to survive, must we not? However I feel it wise to exercise some caution myself.”   


Blank eyes shifted the room, stopping on each of them in turn, shifting quickly from them to the exact spot Koschei had stopped before coming back and stopping on Duncan. The Red Samurai’s sword flowed and settled, a simple middle stance visibly loaded with death.   


“I am vastly outnumbered.”

It was a statement of fact. There would be no more words, before there was blood. If there was blood–but if they fought the ghoul samurai, there would be blood and death, one or all.

The air seemed to seep out of the room. Duncan felt the tension radiate, feet shift. Cold sweat, on his forehead.   


He glanced behind him to the crew at his back; the crew he’d become accountable for. A million thoughts ran through his mind; what was he supposed to do? Nothing had prepared him for something he could never have predicted. Each of his crew looked some form of ragged. Blink was the worst; he’d regained his color with the food but only just.   


He turned to look to the ghoul,  _ Gaichu ( _ as if monsters like this deserved names), who stood with his claws on his katana, his breathing calm and steady. He’d located them all, even Koschei, despite his apparent blindness. And the light humor he’d treated their presence with brought Duncan back to his academy days, where he’d forcibly introduced to the concept of not being the biggest dog in the room. To not even being considered as a threat.

Duncan’s blood boiled as memories of the harassment and degradation he’d endured rose back up. He clenched his fists and his vision started to go red.  _ No.  _ There was no what he’d become a victim again.  


His back started to tingle. He turned around: Blink. He was glaring at the ghoul. One hand was behind his back. A powerbolt no doubt. He didn’t look all that much better, but he was about to fight–and die?

_ Drek! _

Duncan needed to do something,  _ to think!  _ But it was hard; his anger wouldn’t abide. The ghoul’s blind focus had settled on Blink.  _ Drek!  _ He needed to do something!

“Kris!”

His sister’s gaze met his own, icy blue eyes looking into his heart. She followed his gaze to the ghoul, to Blink, and then to him. And nodded.   


They moved as one, with Duncan stepping back just as Kris moved forward, the former in front of Blink and the latter in front of them all. She tilted her head to Duncan, and turned back to the ghoul, whose stance had never wavered, and started to talk.   


In any other instance Duncan might’ve been pleased to see that his sister had retained her silver tongue, but not here. He’d failed, there was no two ways about it. It was all the could think about, and were he in his right mind he’d find it funny that it took failing to clear his head.   


The tension had long since faded, though Duncan barely paid it any mind. He was aware of Blink coming up to him, his bright and shining eyes piercing the blacked haze of his mind. No, there was no need for light, no need to see. He turned away, not wanting anything to do with the mage’s light.

He was vaguely aware of the conversation going on in front of him, of how everyone had relaxed ever so slightly but hadn’t removed their weapons. It was when they were put away that Duncan knew that Kris had succeeded. As she always did.   


Blink was no longer in front of him. He, with the others, had moved closer to the ghoul, even though Blink hung back more than the rest. What was it that made Blink stay close to him? Pity? Duncan spit on the ground. He didn’t need that. He already knew what he was.

Soon everyone had stopped talking, save for Kris, which Duncan knew meant that she had a plan they were all to follow. They started walking out the door, with Duncan pulling up the rear. Blink was the last out the door, just before Duncan. His eyes, shining and alive, turned to meet his own. Duncan turned away, unwilling to meet his gaze.   


But the mage’s lingering eyes persisted, their shine entreating him to do something. But then Blink too turned away, his eyes downcast, and sighed before turning back to the group.   


And as the sun began to rise above the neon-stricken heights of Whampoa and its light stretched across the boat to Duncan he stood, shoulders slumped, the red of his goggles obscuring the moisture that had accumulated in his eyes.   


He’d failed; there was no two ways about it. He wasn’t ready to command, that much was apparent. If he’d been ready, he’d have noticed the signs faster, shot faster, and maybe Blink wouldn’t have had to take out those gangers alone, or been taken hostage. And they might not–Duncan ground his teeth–have a fragging flesh-eating ghoul on the boat right now, that they had to call a  _ teammate _ .

He tilted his head up towards the sun, its harsh light accusatory. But it didn’t need to be, Duncan knew what he was. Duncan Wu: failure.


	10. A Mechanist's Understanding*side-story*

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Racter gives his two bits about Whampoa, his crew, and the whole mess.  
> *Apologies for not uploading this earlier*

Most interesting.

The entire experience had been...captivating. Certainly for the arrested Whampoan elders, in another sense.

Said elders had hired the ghoul samurai to kill their colleague Magpie, who’d thwarted their expansion into BTLs. According to her it’d been bad for business; Racter grinned as he watched the Elders get their reasonings for such betrayal decimated by Blink and Point Blank’s deductive reasoning.  


Watching the elders get taken away in handcuffs, amidst their protests, and seeing no one come to their defense, gave Racter immeasurable pleasure. Without advantage, the vaunted bonds of community and filial respect were not worth a worthless  _ kopeck _ ; all eyes turned away. Racter smiled.

Blink had gone back to the boat-shaped mall afterwards, to speak to a surprisingly knowledgeable sales rep. Did she have any Microweave Spiders? Magic was good patching up clothing but after a long fight he’d be exhausted. Tesla gloves were fun but did she have any in his size? No he didn’t mind the lack of feywear. Surprisingly he said nothing about Saeder-Krupp’s RhineGold. Maybe he didn’t want to make his association with S-K obvious?  


He’d left with a large box full of different designer fabrics but not before swapping numbers with the sales rep. Charming. Cultured. Transparent.  


It reminded Racter of an old story, the emperor’s new clothes. What would happen if he were to tell the wide-eyed salesperson about when he first found Blink, naked and afraid? Would he seem as charming then?  


Unfortunately, despite its vaulted reputation as a technofetishist’s paradise, the selection of the other shops had held nothing to hold Racter’s interest. He’d been looking forward to coming here too. Oh well. Dropping his smoke Racter turned and followed Blink topside, passing Duncan on the way up. The ork glanced his way and followed him. Or Blink; he was unsure. Probably both.

The conversation topside had turned to Gaichu. An intriguing proposition had been put forth by Point Blank, who’d suggested he come with them. Huh. Apparently the young decker Is0bel had no problem with it, despite it having been him who’d killed and eaten Magpie. Curious. Perhaps there had been bad blood between them. A moot point now… which was probably why the dwarf could take the practical view at this late stage.  


Point Blank had no problem with it, as she’d been the one to offer him sanctuary. Hadn’t Duncan said something about ghouls before? Apparently she’d some experience with them. Or maybe she was just being… kind? Compassionate? Racter would’ve let him join based off of his skill alone; provided he needed the muscle. Did her feelings factor into her choice? And if so how would Gobbet react? The two had grown quite close in such a short period of time. It mildly intrigued him to consider how their relationship would develop. A Chinese female ork street rat with a UCAS female human phys-adept was a novel pairing.  


Blink had been, surprisingly given his earlier statement, completely on board with Gaichu. Provided he didn’t bite or attack any of them. Understandable (Racter had already resolved to rig up a better alarm on his quarters). It was highly unlikely that Lofwyr would permit a contagious runner back into his fold. There was also the subject of Blink’s magic. Would he still be able to use it? And if so would it function any differently? So many questions!

Duncan was, perhaps unsurprisingly, still of the same mind he was before. This time, however, he vocalized his intent to willingly go along with whatever Point Blank thought best. Just as he had before. There was a maelstrom of emotions playing on Duncan’s face: anger, frustration, sadness.  


Gaichu had been very forthcoming about the culture of the Red Samurai and of Renkaku as a whole. Was his way of getting back at the company that had tried to kill him for something beyond his control? Maybe. Nevertheless Racter devoured everything he said. Anything might come in useful later, even as a bauble in his mind-palace..

Twice on the tram back to Hoei, Racter had caught Duncan staring at him. Racter thought nothing of it, but nevertheless kept Koschei by his side the remainder of the trip. A showdown between them was inevitable, it seemed -Racter guessed that the ork  still held him accountable for not saving Blink from Lofwyr’s captivity- and though Racter did not believe Duncan a man of  _ unreasonable  _ violence -as his earlier choice to acquiesce and deescalate the situation had proven- it never hurt to be prepared.

Such were Racter’s thoughts as he walked up the ramp and past Gobbet, who’d jumped into Kris’s arms. Racter quickly moved past the simpering pair and into the boat proper. That had been an amusing excursion, barring that meaningless altercation with the Vory in the sewers, but there was just so much work to do and document. Shadowrunning was merely a sideline, albeit rich with interest and incident.

Blink is just coming out of his room, speaking on his commlink. Excellent. Blink is leery as he approaches Racter and closes the call. He looks around of possible escape routes. Racter does nothing to imply that he might need them.  


Blink asks how can he help him. He first asks if he can inquire about his magic, then about the magic itself. Everything he knew told him that what Blink had done was impossible. How had he done it? What were the exact processes that went into- No he didn’t look at the paydata he and his team had gotten from the lab, Hähnchen had it. And he should’ve given it to their client by now. No, Lucky Strike handled the client interactions.  


Blink agrees to answer his questions on the condition of being taught Russian. No astral? Huh. Racter is admittedly uninformed about the particulars of magic. He’s more a man of the material world. Oh? His spell utilizes the material world. Electromagnetic energy? He turns himself into light? Fascinating.   


Apparently his capture and subsequent experimentation had been good for something; he found out what he was really doing. Of course he figured it out when he tripped a few silent alarms, but then what good is experience if you don’t learn from it?  


Duncan had left his room during Blink’s interrogation and leaned against the bulkhead and watched them converse. Racter saw Kris and Gobbet enter, making sheep’s eyes at each other; he excused himself.  


Back in his workshop, Racter immediately set about documenting the day’s events. There was so much to go over. He set a marker to talk again with Blink at his latest convenience, preferably without Duncan around. If he could get the secret to Blink’s magic, and then retake the precious self-repair system that had been stolen from him...the thought of an immortal, inescapable teleporting drone made his lips peel back from his grin.   


There was a knock on the hull and a voice called out, thick and gravely. Gaichu! Racter quickly let him in. What did he want with him? A place where he could put his things, preferably with minimal lighting? Yes, there was a place for him. A small room just opposite of Racter’s workshop. Did he need any assistance setting anything up? No? Very well.  


Racter watched the ghoul, Gaichu, unpack his meager belonging with astonishingly  soft and gentle motions. As if his possessions were of the utmost importance. He’d seen this before, with veterans of the Eurowars. Was one’s humanity such a precious thing? Curious.

The hum of his workshop reached his ears. Work beckoned. Racter bid Gaichu good day and returned to his workshop, Koschei close behind him. The sounds of industry and progress soon undergirded the ship once more.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	11. A Sleepy Interlude *side-story*

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not everyone can wake up from their nightmares.

_ “Well of course you failed. What did you expect? It was your first real command, after all.” _

_ “I dunno. I just sort of… I thought  I’d get more accomplished, you know? If I did this one thing right, things would get better.”  
_

_ “That is a foolish desire. Did you think the others would accept you as you are simply because you provided for them?” _

_ Duncan blinked, suddenly confused. “I wasn’t trying to coddle them Carter. They’re better than that.” _

_ A firm nod from the smaller elf. “Yes, that is correct. The students here are being trained to protect the peace and to bring order to an otherwise tumultuous society. Being weak would not make things better.” _

_ Duncan smiled. Carter was right. She was always right.  
_

_ He glanced around the quad, seeing lots of unfamiliar faces. So he kept looking. And looking.  
_

_ “You are looking for him.”  
_

_ “Travis.” Why did he need to tell her? She already knew. _

_ But Carter, ever so wise and ever so kind, ignored his transgression. “You wish to see him again. You miss him.” _

_ “Yeah. I mean it’s been a while since I’d seen him. I know I wasn’t the best boyfriend. I lost my temper so many times. I… I don’t even know what I want from him right now. But I’ll be happy if he’s safe.” _

_ “You miss him but do not want to keep him for yourself? That is not true Duncan.” _

_ Duncan winched. Carter was angry with him. He thought he knew what he was talking about. He was wrong. _

_ “I-I’m sorry Carter.” _

_ “You cannot miss what you never truly had. This is a fact of life.” _

_ Duncan smiled. Carter had not abandoned him. He had done wrong and she saw fit to educate him; to illustrate his missteps. _

_ Carter turned to him with a smile, showing many teeth. “If you have something then it is yours; if you do not then it is not yet yours.” _

_ The serene quad began to shift, the once picturesque school courtyard swiftly turned into something straight out of hell. The bark of the trees flaked off, to expose pulsating sinew. The clear blue sky dripped onto the suddenly-jagged ground like blood, revealing a crimson haze. The metal tables corroded, the benches grew teeth and howled. _

_ In the midst of all this Carter continued to stare at him, though her eyes had burst into flame. Maggots crawled out of the charred orifices.  
_

_ Duncan smiled. Because Carter was still here. Everything was fine. Carter was still here. _

_ The smile on her face widened, revealing even more teeth. She drew closer and closer, and her mouth grew ever wider. There was a loud screech and she lunged at him. Duncan was suddenly aware of a vast darkness. He heard a crunch and then suddenly felt lifeless. He could no longer feel anything below his waist. And yet he smiled. And continued to smile, even as more crunches followed and he lost feeling in what remained of his body.  
_

_ He felt one more crunch and then nothing but bliss… _

_____

Duncan jerked awake, crying out to no one in particular. He looked around, frantic, unsure about his surroundings. The smell of the sea and the sound of fog horns greeted him. He was back at the Bolthole.  


He threw off the small sheet the bunk had come with and checked himself out. His lower half was still there. Wet but still there. As was the rest of him. He was soaking wet from head to toe, but very much there. He looked at his sheet. Drenched. If the heat hadn’t forced him to take off his shirt he’d have soaked that too.

He swung his legs off the side of his bed and sat upright. His breaths were rapid and heavy. His head felt unsteady in his hands. His trembling hands. His entire body was trembling; harder still, as he could do nothing to recover himself.  


He took a deep breath, in and out. Nothing. Several more times. The trembling stilled. Breathing was still a problem.

Someone cried out, the sound of a fear he felt but dared not acknowledge.  _ Blink.  _ The mage was tossing and turning on his small cot, crying out in a language that Duncan couldn’t place.  


Duncan rose to his feet and made for him. A paralyzing fear shot up. Duncan took another step; the fear grew stronger. He tried to fight it, thinking about what could’ve caused it. He remembered his dream, though the recollection was extremely hazy, as well as a single word.  _ Travis.  
_

The fear within him coalesced into a ball lodged in his gut. And as Duncan focused on the name the ball grew harder, hotter, until it burst into a familiar flame.  _ Anger.  
_

The flame grew brighter as he drew closer to Blink. Unbidden, thoughts came to his mind:  


_ ….Why couldn’t I have him? Why’d he have to leave? Why can’t I ever have anything I want....? _

Duncan came to the edge of Blink’s cot and glared down at his screaming, convulsing form. He drew his leg up like a marionette and kicked the cot over, sending the screaming mage onto the floor.  


Duncan watched Blink, still and quiet now, wake up on the cold ground. From his place on the floor Blink frantically looked about, the lack of a shirt letting Duncan see how the mage’s body twitch, as  his own body had done just before. Duncan normally liked watching Blink’s muscles twitch, but that part of him couldn’t stand up against the flame.  


Duncan’s anger screamed into his ears; as he watched Blink glance around the room, his knuckles grew white.  Then Blink turned to him and his anger reached a crescendo. The mage glared accusingly at him, calling him by his name, demanding to know just what the hell he was doing. Duncan only half-heard him, his anger burning too bright.  


Duncan watched as Blink’s own anger faded as he took in Duncan’s trembling form; saw the white of his knuckles. The question he was asked pierced Duncan’s rage.

“What happened?”

The flame of Duncan’s anger was snuffed out. His hands no longer balled by his side, his eyes no longer glared. He slunk his head and stared at the ground, suddenly unable to look Blink in the eye. Instead he focused on the answer to his question, or rather how quickly it came. Like it had been waiting for him.

He realized what that meant, that he must’ve been waiting for someone to ask that. Why hadn’t he asked himself that? Because if he had, then it would’ve been all over. Or he might’ve disbelieved the answer that arose from within his heart. He had to hear it from someone else. A question only he could answer.

“Everything.”   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is _not_ how I’d envisioned the chapter to go in this direction. However pen went to paper and this just sort of wrote itself.  
> Originally it was going to be a bit more open-ended. This encapsulates everything I was trying to capture. Glad I went with my instincts.


	12. Intimate Progress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gobbet helps with team-building.  
> *Warning: EXPLICIT*

Early morning in the Bolthole. Gobbet was busy entertaining. Or educating, which was certainly not entertaining. Apparently Blink had been unclear about how magic worked in the whole new world he’d been sent to. Gobbet would have happily regaled him with a story of her resourcefulness and death-defying escapes, but explaining the basics of feng-shui was boring as frag. 

**_Less moaning_ ** Rat hissed in her mind,  **_Get on with the teaching._ **

_ Okay. Doesn’t mean I have to like it. _

“Didn’t know that leylines had so much history. Oh sorry  _ dragon lines.  _ They just feel like regular leylines to me though.  The files I read alluded to feng-shui being a tangible force in areas of Hong Kong, why is that? ”

“Don’t ask me about egghead stuff, chummer,” Gobbet sneered, affecting a smile she didn’t really feel, “ Didn’t you learn this at mage-school, or some info-dump Corp orientation? They wouldn’t just chuck you out on your asses without at least the lay of the land or whatnot?”

Blink’s shimmering eyes bore holes into Gobbet’s.  _ Did I strike a nerve or something?  
_

“Bastion.” The mage said simply, his contempt plain.  


“Ooh? That the guy who’d jerked you around? What’d he do?”

Blink scoffed. ‘We’d be here all day if I went into everything, but in this he screwed me over from the start. Heavily sanitized the info-dump. Didn’t know my front from my back when I got here. Just had standard procedure to fall back on; no context or back-up or anything.”

**_Why did you ask him about that? You could have easily figured everything out on your own._ **

_ Yeah but I’d much rather let him do all the heavy lifting, if you get my drift. _

**_I get it Gobbet, as I always have; however, as you well know, I do not want it. Not for myself or for you. You’re better than this Gobbet._ **

_ Yeah yeah. _

Stirring some ineffable stew on a hotplate, Gobbet aimed a grin and a glare at the nouveau mage she’d invited into her rat’s nest. “Whatever chummer. You got a bad tip and got burned; it happens. What you do about it now is what counts. You used to Run before you fell into the Wyrm’s clutches, got mangled and then spit out on Victoria Harbor. Not something I’d heard about before but similar things have happened.”

Bitter smile with an even bitterer response. “I used to be novahot, before, as you put it, I  _ fell into the Wyrm’s clutches.  _ I dare you to find someone who works for him that he hasn’t broken.”

Gobbet turned to face him, the glare frozen onto her face made softer by the cold rebuttal. She’d lived through some rough stuff;  _ fragging frag _ Is0bel had lived through some rough stuff in Kowloon, but she was prepared to admit that Blink hadn’t exactly come from a bed of roses.    


“Sorry about that, chummer. I don’t know...it sounds rough.”

Blink’s eyes remained trained on Gobbet’s as he sprung onto his feet. He looked at her for a brief moment, turned his head and sighed. “Drek happens; the first rule of shadowrunning.”  


Gobbet chuckled, graciously showing him the door. “Oh chummer, rule number one is to geek the mage.” She rose from her crouch and followed him out. “Second one’s to not deal with dragons, but I guess you missed the memo.”

“And if you haven’t picked up that I was and am fragged by those two rules,” Blink snarked over his shoulder, ”Then I’m not the only one who’d missed the memo.”

_ This is true. _

As they passed Is0bel’s workspace, the dwarf girl waved them down. “Hey Blink. Gotta guy I’d like you to look into. Goes by nitez&dayz. Says that Ares got some big project out in Hung Hom that’s got something to do with bugs. Think you can dig something up on them?”

Blink paused just long enough to ponder. “I can try but just so you know SK doesn’t have the same pull that it’s got in Europe.” He pulled out and started to type into his commlink. “I’ll try to hit up some contacts in Swissbank and see what I can find.”

“Damn, Blink, Swissbank?” Gobbet chuckled, “You should slide some creds my way.”

“Would if I could but I ain’t that high chica.” He laughed. “Just getting this info, if they even have it, will likely cost me a Run or two. And after that little bit of charity at the docks Cheng’s been riding my ass about keeping secrets from her. Now,” he tilted towards her and broke out into a wicked smile as his voice took on a conspiratorial tone, “If you want to deal with Cheng for me then… maybe I can work something out.”

Gobbet’s hands went up. “Nah. No thanks brah. I got enough on my plate.”

He chuckled but said nothing else as he opened the hatch to the rest of the ship.  


“Has Duncan still not let you back in yet?” She wasn’t sure if that was a good time to ask but there it was.

“No he hasn’t.” Blink didn’t even glance at the door. “Not that it matters; Kris has been really good about letting me sleep with her.”

Poor choice of words; Gobbet’s lips instantly peeled back from from her incisors.   


**_It is okay Gobbet. He was not sleeping with her. Kris is simply being a good leader and letting him stay with her while Duncan pulls himself together._ **

_ I know. Doesn’t mean I have to like it! _

“You alright there chummer?” Blink had stopped in the space between his and Kris’s door and was staring at Gobbet with a big grin on his face. “Do all orks get all veiny on their foreheads when they get angry or is it just you and Duncan?”

“Ah. That.” She tried her best to look disaffected but saw the skepticism on Blink’s face. “I was just chatting it up with Rat. Null sweat chummer.”   


**_So now you bring me into this?_ **

_ It’s not like I could leave you out of it. You hear and see everything I do. And besides you know you want to know what I’m doing-” _

The door to Kris’s room flew open, pulling Gobbet’s attention from her totem.“Gobbet!” Gobbet pushed past Blink, caught the running Kris into her arms, and drew her girl in for a kiss, long and deep.

Oh how she’d missed this. Three days after Running through the Walled City when they’d gotten the chance to settle down Gobbet had taken to regalling them with tales of her earlier exploits, to both entertain and educate. With Duncan it had been hit or miss but Kris ravenously at it up, giving Gobbet her full attention whenever she held the floor while putting her two bits about her haphazard (Kris’s words) way of doing things.

During one of the ork’s more enthralling performances Kris had decided to use more than words and jumped Gobbet. The shaman was quick to recover and the two spent the next few hours enjoying the other’s company, their earlier conversation having deteriorated into needy moans, physical exploration and a spectacular finish (Gobbet’s words).  


From then on they’d fool around whenever they could. And when it was up to Gobbet  _ wherever  _ they could. In damp alleyways, on the deck of the Bolthole; hell, Gobbet had felt her up in line to Club 88. The bouncer, a hulking troll named Fredrick Ka Fei, heard Kris cry out and, knowing them to be runners for Cheng, let them in ahead of everyone else. More ‘jamming’ had taken place in the club proper.  


A light tap on the wall.  _ Damn. Forgot he was here.  _ “Hey Blink, think you could get yourself lost for a few minutes? Me and Kris are about to jam.”   


“You can go to Kris’s room.” She could  _ hear  _ him grin. Oh well, two can play that game.

“Yeah I could but it’s kinda hard to jam with her while your scent clings to everything.”  Gobbet’s hand scuttled further down; the way she made Kris gasp drove Gobbet wild. “Unless you want to join us? I’m sure that I can talk Kris into letting you-” She’d let her voice affect a conspiratorial tone like Blink had.

“Alright I’m out!” Gobbet smiled into Kris’s mouth as footsteps rapidly faded towards the door.”I’m gonna get me some eats. And I’ll be a bit, so don’t wait up for me!”  


“Good looking out chummer. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.” Gobbet called after him, laughing as he stuck his hand in the swiftly closing door just long enough to flip her off. “He’s good people.” As Kris staring at the door Gobbet attacked, latching onto the opening to gnaw on her girl’s tender neck. With a little shriek of shock and delight, Kris made a playful feint of pushing the ork away, which ended with her fondling Gobbet’s excited little breasts. The ork girl squeezed her chest back; squishy was  _ very _ nice and squishy.

“Just Kung Fu me if you don’t want me,” Gobbet murmured in her ear, “But you  _ want _ me, babe, you so, so want me...”   


The heady moaning grew intoxicating. Gobbet pressed her whole body into Kris, shamelessly grinding into her muscular thigh. The adept squirmed against the wall, moaning and sighing against the armored bulkhead. The shaman felt Kris pulsate around her fingers, heard the quickening in her breaths, as she worked her love’s clit with her thumb. Tiny tremors racked the pale body as Gobbet ground out waves of bliss through her own. She was getting so close-- then a loud ringing reached Gobbet’s ears.

Kris too; the adept extricated herself from Gobbet and started towards the ringing. She chuckled at the ork’s indignation, telling her to shower off in her room before coming over to her. When Gobbet came back with an invitation to join her Kris pointed out that it was  _ her  _ hands that were covered in bodily fluids, disappearing into the living center with a smile on her face.  


Gobbet was angry but hopeful; Kris did tell her that she could use _her_ shower. She flexed the hand she’d molested Kris with and ran a tongue around the wetness. Sweet. It’d be a shame to wash this away but you had to clear a base to get to the boss or whatever the saying went.  


The room, as clean as her own was dirty, held Kris’s scent all over it.  Charming and vibrant; just like her. Also within that was Blink own scent, lighter and gentler as he hadn’t been living with her for very long. It wasn’t offensive by any means but...  _ he wasn’t Kris. _

The hot water felt wonderful on her skin, though she rather have waited first. No sense in getting clean  _ before  _ you get dirty. Plus there was that blasted commlink. She’d always gotten clam-jammed at the worst time.

**_Cry me a river._ **

_ You could try and be more enthusiastic for me. _

**_And you could try and follow through. I refuse to get invested when I know that you will always stop at the last minute._ **

_ I got clam-jammed, not my fault ! I didn’t know she was going to get a job.  That wasn’t my fault!  
_

**_It never is dear._ **

The shower ended with Gobbet in much worse spirits, the irony making her scowl as she got changed. Leave it to Rat to keep gnawing at the worst things _. _ Whatever.  


She opened the bathroom door and exited through the room, the scent of her lover’s new roommate just a tad bit less aggravating than it used to be. Maybe she should apologize to him for how she treated him.  


She chuckled as she nixed that idea. Blink was a good sort. Plus he knew the score; he’d have to, otherwise he’d never had been able to deal with Duncan.  


Gobbet stepped out of the room to witness both the bulkhead door and the door to Duncan’s room opening, as if on cue. She saw Blink stroll into the foyer, arms full of food, saying something to Kris. And out of the corner of her eye she spotted Duncan looming ominously in the doorway.

As she ran her eyes over Duncan’s body a smile grew:  _ lean muscular body? Check! Shirtless so that said body can be seen and appreciated? Check! Nice little workout pants with a not-so-little package? Check! Firm pecs glistening with sweat from an obviously heavy morning workout? CHECK! _

**_Really Gobbet?  
_ **

_ What? There’s nothing wrong with admiring your co-workers, especially when they put that much work into themselves. _

Gobbet heard a sigh in the back of her mind and nearly let out one of her own. Just because she appreciated Duncan’s body didn’t mean that she was going to cheat on Kris with him.  


“Have you seen Blink?” Plus there was, ya know,  _ that.  _ “I really need to talk to him.”

“Of course you do,” she quipped with a wink, “He just got back. You want I to tell him you’re looking for him?” She smiled, already knowing the answer.

“Yes please.”  _ please?  _ Had Duncan gotten some kind of epiphany about bad dreams not being an excuse for being a drag?

“Null sweat.” She turned to leave just as Duncan nodded and closed the door. The scent of food steadily grew stronger as she reached the front, her stomach rumbling in her ears. She saw Blink chatting with Kris by the terminal and felt a pang of irritation that she quickly stomped out. “Hey Blink. Duncan’s looking for you.”

Blink turned to her. “Did he say why?” She shrugged. “Didn’t think so.”   


“He didn’t look mad but, all the same, why don’t you take his food to him? He’s been working out. He’s probably hungry.”

“Good idea.”  _ Thank Rat.  _ Gobbet watched Blink pick up two swollen bags of food and disappear with a grin into the hallway. As she crossed the room to Kris she heard Blink knock on the door and then several beats of stunned silence before the tale-tell clicking of a door opening.  


“You think they’re gonna kiss and make-up,” she moved to Kris  


Kris drew her arms around Gobbet’s neck, broke out of the kiss with a smile and sighed. “Doubtful. He isn’t really one to-”

“OH MY GOD!”

The proclamation caught both women by surprise, disrupting the conversation. The tone it was used in was so high and nasal that both were thrown into laughing fits.  


“What were you two talking about?” Gobbet peppered kisses all over Kris’s face. “Something I should know about?” She sank her teeth into Kris’s neck and suckled on her tender skin, tusks free.  


Kris gasped and sighed as her head sank onto Gobbet’s shoulder. “Hmm. Blink and I were looking through the Runs Cheng wants done to see which to do next.”

Gobbet ran her tongue across Kris’s neck, committing her taste to memory. “Oh? And have you decided on any of them?”

“That's just the thing,” she sighed, as she pulled away from Gobbet and twirled around to face the terminal. The sight of her lithe pale fingers flying gracefully across the console making Gobbet quiver with lust.  _ Never thought I'd be jealous of a computer.  _ “Wuxing pretty much demands that you be there; I'd ask Blink but I'd rather not risk his SK connections with a run against a huge coup like that.”

Gobbet nodded. “Plus he doesn't know much about summoning spirits or the magic of Hong Kong.” She pondered. “What about you, me, Is0bel, and Gaichu? We'd have pretty much every base covered and knowing you you want to see what Gaichu can do.”

Kris smiled. “You know me so well.” A swift kiss on the lips. A nice reward. “Up next is Ares, another megacorp so Blink’s out. I'm thinking of sending Racter, you, me, and either Is0bel or Gaichu. Not sure about Duncan.”

“Why not? We can always use the extra muscle. Plus we’ll probably find something there that he can use.” This was genuinely surprising to Gobbet. She’d thought Kris trusted him. “What? Do you think he'd drag us down the way he is right now?”

“More like I'm afraid that he's going to get himself killed.” She looked so dejected, so worried. Her earlier good cheer had all but disappeared.  


Gobbet immediately threw her arms around her and drew her into a big hug. “Like there's any chance of that happening with you about. Don't sweat it Seattle.”

A slight smile though worried tears. “Thank Gobs.” A gentle kiss on her tusks.  _ Nice!  _ “And I've already got a plan for that. There's this extraction Run at the Shangri La Restaurant.”

Gobbet’s ears perked up at the mention of Shangri-La. “Ah hell yeah! That place has some damn good eats.”  _ And when I post about them on Shadowsea, they’ll all finally get that I know good food! _    


“I'll make a note of that,” she chuckled, “There's very little Corp presence so Blink’s a go. Plus with his magic he can pull keep our target from getting geeked should things go south.”

“Good thinking Seattle. Who else you got in mind?”

There as a slight hesitation to Kris’s answer that made Gobbet worry. “Duncan and Is0bel.” She turned to Gobbet, eyes wide and hands waving in front of her. “Now hear me out; Duncan needs to get out for a bit and he's more than likely familiar with undercover work so I can make sure he knows this and I need to see how well he'll work with Blink after kicking him out of his own room. And Is0bel because apart from being solid support she can be quiet and you… can't. And since this is essentially a therapy run I can't bring along Racter or Gaichu. Duncan doesn't really like either of them and I'd rather not compromise on a Run if I don't have to.”

Gobbet thought hard about what she was being told and put two and two together. “And you thought that, what, I'd be angry because I didn't get to go?” Her girl looked so dejected. That wasn't gonna fly. The pale adept found her face snuggled between Gobbet’s breasts in a tender hug. “Seattle, if I can't be with you all day everyday that's fine. No sweat. You lead this crew however you like. You can be all mine when you get back.”

Some light sniffles. A sob. Then Seattle looked her in the eyes, strong again. Her girl was back.

“I hope I'm not interrupting anything.” Blink. Gobbet sighed and then, smelling food, smiled. Kris had pulled out of Gobbet’s hug, wiped her face off and had turned to face Blink, wearing a smile Gobbet  _ knew  _ she wasn’t really feeling.  _ So this is what it’s like t o lead? Count me out _ _.  _ “Kris have you decided on a Run for us?”

She shared a glance with Gobbet, who winked and then turned to address him. “Just about. There’s still some issues to work out.” Her smile suddenly grew wider and more genuine, with a certain twinkle in her gaze. “That was quite a scream by the way. Did something happen in there?”   
  
Blink glanced over his shoulder. “I dunno. I just wasn’t expecting that much heat.” Almost as if he’d noticed how unclear he was he went on. “The room.  _ The room _ was hot. I meant the room!” He shook his head and groaned. “I don’t know how one person can produce that much heat! I mean he was obviously working out and I’d been in locker rooms before so it isn’t like I haven’t dealt with much worse but- I should stop talking now shouldn’t I?”   


Gobbet wasn’t the only one struggling to contain her laughter. “That would be wise, yes.” For a moment, good cheer lingered in the air. Kris looked decidedly brighter and Gobbet was also feeling pumped, though the scent of multiple types of food have wafted over to her had helped. The mage stood, flummoxed, his eyes flickering between the two.  


“So what did Duncan call you in there for? To apologize?”

“...Yes?” his tone suggested both a question and a statement. Gobbet’s eyebrow cocked. “He didn’t really apologize to me as he did to the floor and the walls. And the bed. And this was all in between periods of long silence in sweltering heat.” He clutched his head and sighed. “He said that he needed some more time to adjust and then I can move back in.”

The hatch beside the terminal opened up, bringing everyone’s attention to the Russian rigger whose eyes swept over everyone in the room before settling onto Blink.  


Gobbet watched Racter open up to Blink. How had he been? Did he have any info on SK? Had he procured anything recently: logistical equipment, funds, insider information about rival megacorps?

Duncan entered in the midst of Blink’s interrogation, his gaze flickering not unlike Racter’s across the room before settling onto Blink. Gobbet noticed with a bit of trepidation that he was fully dressed in his riot gear. Not a bad idea for Hoei but still…  


_ It’s a damn shame to have to cover such a body. _

The ex-Star called out to Blink and told him that he’d given it some thought and that he was free to move back in whenever he liked. Kris locked wide-eyed to Gobbet, her widened expression telling the Rat shaman just how out of character this was for him. The young mage stared at Duncan, transfixed, before giving his thanks and then turning to answer Racter’s question. He was fine. He’d heard nothing from SK but he would tell the team, Racter included, if he had. A shipment is due in a few months but it would help if he knew exactly what Racter was looking for so that they could check other avenues in case SK said no.  


And as this was going on Duncan’s eyes flickered furiously between Blink and Racter, narrowing as their exchange progressed. His fists were clenched whenever Racter spoke, though the rigger either didn’t notice or did and ignored him. Gobbet had to admit the latter was more likely.

_ Uh oh. This isn’t good. _

Racter, apparently finished, gave his thanks and started down the hatch. Then Duncan called out for him to wait; he wanted to talk. The rigger studied Duncan’s face before shrugging and retreating into his workshop, leaving the hatch open for Duncan to go down and close behind him.  


_ Yep. Definitely not good. _

On Kris’s face was the same concern she herself was feeling. Blink turned to talk to them both, looking just as lost as Gobbet felt. “What was that about?” he’d asked, confused.  


Gobbet and Kris shared a knowing look. “You.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Finally working for that EXPLICIT rating.*


	13. The Blind Watch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A change in perspectives brought about by someone strange and unusual

 

Darkness. An ebony contrast. In Zen there was supposedly no difference between life and death; the color-splashed world he'd known, or the outer darkness he saw. In rejecting Seppuku (and the unspoken tenets of the Red Samurai doctrine compelling him to do so), he had accepted that neither Zen or Renraku doctrine were flawless philosophies. Fortunately the transition from sight to sightlessness hadn't been impasible; Gaichu chalked it up to his training, skill, and attitude. 'The samurai must live as if already a corpse', after all.   


Boots pounding angrily against the metal floor. A heavy, drumming heartbeat.  _ It’s the ork from before. Duncan, I think _

“I suppose you're here to discuss something with me \\.” A measured response. Every word proceeding from his mouth in an orderly fashion. A steady heartbeat with a predictable pattern.  _ And that would be the rigger who tried to flank me with his drone. Racter. _

“So you know that. I’ll get right to the point: why do you keep bothering Blink?” His words are like fire, his steps hard against the metal floor. He’s severely agitated, Gaichu realizes, far more than he himself realizes,”Can’t you see how uncomfortable he gets whenever you talk to him?”   


_ Is this true? _ Gaichu recalled a mage who’d been charging a manabolt behind his back.  _ Was that Blink? Runners had the strangest names. Though ‘Saru’, or monkey, was hardly better _ .

“While Blink’s discomfort is obvious, I must point out that he can tell me no whenever he wants.” Which, Gaichu had to admit, was true. “As he had not done this, I will continue to speak with him. However, it might be prudent to consider why he allows himself to be open to me.” Indeed. That was something worth considering.

A huff from Duncan. His heartbeat steadies as his breathing becomes a bit more relaxed. “You mean the data you took from the lab he was held in? Even I know you don’t have it anymore.”  _ Lab? Data? _ Gaichu mentally replayed the experiments he used to witness in his old unit; of mages torn from their families subjected to cruel and inhuman treatments. He thought of Sasaki, of the struggles she went through to join the Red Samurai. How much of that, of  _ her,  _ would have become invalidated by Renkaku’s monstrous awakened studies?  _ A great deal did change, with one's perspective. _

“That is correct. As I’ve already stated I was not the one who retrieved the data, nor was I the one who gave it to the Johnson who hired my former team. And before you ask, no, I do not know who the Johnson was; that was Lucky Strike’s business.”

“So then you’re just stringing him along then. Why?” Good question.”What do you have to gain from doing that to him?” There was a growl in his voice that wasn’t there before.   


Steady heartbeat and a long drag of a cigarette. “I am not stringing him along as you put it. I am merely interested in the many possible applications of his magic.” Slight bump in his otherwise unchanging heart rhythm. He’s hiding something. “The sheer potential is near limitless. I can understand why Lofwyr wanted to obtain him. However unlike what Lofwyr is known for there is no coercion on my part; whatever Blink tells me will be of his own accord. He is free to tell me no whenever he chooses. Besides, I don’t have the proper instruments for a proper interrogation.” Gaichu covered his face with his head and sighed. Even he knew that to be the wrong thing to say.

A quickened heartbeat followed by rapid footsteps. Gaichu could almost see Duncan looming over Racter, knuckles stretched white, snarling in the rigger’s face.

The rigger’s heartbeat remained steady. “That was a jest my friend. I assure you I mean no harm to Blink.” He didn’t sound distressed, despite more than likely  _ knowing  _ that he was about to get hurt. Why was that?

“But what about the others? Kris. Gobbet. Is0bel...that ghoul.” Gaichu grunted.  _ I have a name. _ “Not just Blink. How I know you won’t turn on the rest of us once a better opportunity comes along?” This question made Gaichu pause. Was this crew really as dysfunctional and treacherous as he’d been told all Runners were? Signs were pointing to yes but as Takagawa always said it never hurt to know more.

A long, steady breath from the rigger. He was about to tell him what he wanted to know.“I suppose I will just have to give you my word. Make no mistake, my friend, this partnership I have with your sister Point Blank, and by extension the rest of the crew, is one I have no intention of betraying. I’ve made quite a bit of nuyen and have made tremendous strides in my research because you. However, as you said, there is always the possibility that a better offer might come along, however unlikely such a scenario would be. Such a thing is not uncommon here in the shadows; you may rest assured, however, that I will discuss the matter with you before making a decision.”

His voice remained steady, though he’d apparently elected to put some distance between Duncan and himself. Gaichu then heard, through his enhanced hearing, the walls of the shop come to life. Gaichu heard the sounds of what he knew to be micro-turrets within the thin walls on all sides and began to harbor serious doubts about Duncan’s continued existence. Should he step outside and warn him? Would he even be taken seriously before being torn to shreds? Would it be worth it to help someone who’d such a problem with what he’d been forced to become, despite most likely having faced such prejudice himself?   


Gaichu caught himself and chuckled mirthlessly at the irony of it all; it was not too long ago that he was a fine upstanding Japanese citizen aiming such prejudice at the untouchable himself, after all. Not even worrying about such things as his own parroted beliefs, especially with Yomi Island taking away everyone who looked or walked differently. Out of sight, out of mind.   


And yet, here he was, a stranger in a strange land, learning lessons he’d never thought to learn and making moves where he never thought to go.

“That’s big talk from someone who hides behind his drone.” The ork’s heartbeat remained strong and his breathing heavy, indicating that he’d heard nothing.

 “Or is that what drove you into the shadows in the first place?” The sheer audacity of the ork was appalling enough that Gaichu had to fight the urge to bang his head against the wall.

_ This is not the time for that Duncan. _

A slight pause in the Russian’s heartbeat as the turrets twirled.  _ Yep, that was definitely a mistake. _ “You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Malice twinged the rigger’s tone. Gaichu debated leaving to help Duncan, turrets be damned, whatever the ork thought of him.   


“Don’t I?” Duncan huffed. “Hiding behind your drone. Your fight in the sewers was a shitshow. You’re an even worse shot than Blink, who I might add, you’ve been interrogating non-stop, wearing him down with your constant questioning. Like you’re trying to get him ready for something and don’t want him saying no. I’m willing to bet that whatever it is that brought you here has something to do with that drone of yours. And I’ll also drop hard nuyen that you want Blink’s magic for yourself.”

The long moment following that outburst felt like an eternity. What followed was a sigh from Racter. “I must admit, I did not expect you to piece it together so quickly. I underestimated you. It would seem that Lone Star’s officers, current or former, are very well trained.”   


A contented snort from Duncan. “You better believe it. Now you keep that in mind the next time you try to hide something from the rest of the group.” There was an audible moment of silence before he spoke again. “You’ll never see me coming.” The sneer menace within that tone set Gaichu’s skin on end. He didn’t think the ork had it in him to be so threatening.   


There was a tense few moments of silence following that in which Gaichu fully expected the ork to die. Any minute now he’d expected to hear the micro-turrets popping out of the walls and then riddle Duncan with a hailstorm of bullets. But the moment never came.   


A gentle rapping on the hull broke the silence. Two quickened heartbeats from the ork followed by a deep breath and a steadying rhythm.  _ He recognized the knock. It must belong to someone he knows.  _ The rigger, however, remained impenetrable.

“Hey Racter?” A low melodious voice. Point Blank, the one who’d brought Gaichu onboard. “Mind if I pop in for a minute? I need to talk with Duncan. And you, if that’s alright.”

Gaichu felt the tension drain out of the atmosphere. The thrumming in the walls gradually receded as the turrets started to power down. “It is fine, Kris” he heard the rigger say, “Hold on, I’ll let you in.”

There was a small whirring sound, the opening of the hatch, followed by the graceful practiced steps of a martial artist. An Aikido master, to be precise. “Thanks for letting me down here.” Her breathing was calm and efficient, just as it was back when they first met. Gaichu was suddenly reminded of being assigned as a bodyguard to some executive or other whose similar calm detachment within the boardroom was counterbalanced by how passionate they were outside of it. He wondered, what could Kris be hiding? Or was she simply holding back? The latter made more sense given this crew, though he suspected that she had other reasons.   


“You are welcome here Kris.” Gaichu heard a smile in his tone.  _ Racter doesn’t seem to have a problem with her either. She must be their leader. _ “What can I do for you?”

“Oh nothing at the moment but thanks all the same. Hey Duncan, I got the next Run lined up. Simple extraction job. It’ll be you, Blink, Is0bel and myself. You up for it?”

Gaichu heard the ork’s heart skip a beat when he heard Blink’s name. “Yeah I’m up for a run. Is there anything special about it I should know about?”

“We’re going to a place called Shangri-La. It’s supposedly a real bellevue restaurant. Supposedly got some great eats. Wanted to bring Gobbet along but I’ve got her lined up for another mission and I want Blink to get out.”

_ Translation, I need to see how you’ll react around Blink. _

A groan from the ork. “I never got places like that; charging an arm and a leg for such tiny portions of food. I mean, I can go to a Stuffer Shack and get twice as much for half the price.”

A sympathetic wince from Kris. “I think it’s got more to do with the atmosphere. Or, maybe it’s tradition to go there. You know how Hong Kong is. Anyways you got anything nice to wear? I don’t think riot gear is in season right now. Maybe Blink’ll let you bum a suit off of him.”

“Give it some time. It’ll come back around. And you know damn well Blink’s shit’s too small for me.”

“Whatever. You gonna take the run or no?”

“Yeah I’ll Run. Gotta earn your creds, even in the shadows right?” He spoke like he was trying to sound gruffer than Gaichu could tell he was, even as his heartbeat quickened. It almost threw the ghoul into smothered hysterics.

“Good. Meet us at the Metro Station when you’re done. Oh and Racter I’ve got a crun planned that I could really use your help on. How would you like to go on a run against Ares Asia?” Gaichu cocked an eyebrow; a rigger Running against one of the most powerful arms and weapons manufacturers in the world? It would make sense to bring him along. Gaichu had heard about some of their latest experimentation in drone self-maintenance, and wondered if he would be interested. Maybe, it was too early to tell.

The seemingly impenetrable rigger’s life-signs suddenly shifted, becoming much more chaotic. And judging from the quickened heartbeats of Kris and Duncan the changes were visible to the naked eye.

_ Maybe not then... _

“I would like that very much,” came the rigger’s very quick response. “In fact I had been meaning to talk to you about a possible run there but I did not know if you had gotten a run. Would you be available to discuss it in detail later?” Gaichu was stunned. He hadn’t expected to hear the rigger have such…  _ hope  _ in his voice. He must have a huge grudge against Ares. Or was it just someone within it? Unlike Mitsuhama with its zero-penetration policy, and to a lesser extent the other Japancorps, Ares fostered a friendly face to the shadows. With considerable Western hypocrisy, on the part of Knight Errant’s parent company.     


“We can discuss the particulars when I get back.” And with that she left, just as quickly and gracefully as she arrived. The hull hatch closed and the earlier tension returned, though not to the full extent it was before, along with an ambivalent silence.   


“Now, Mr. Wu. Was there something else you wished to discuss? Twenty minutes isn’t that much time.” The rigger sounded much more eager than he was a minute ago. Most likely because of the Run.   


“We can pick this up later. We’re not done, you and I; not by a long shot.” Duncan sounded just as eager as Racter.

“I suspected as much. Take care. Oh and Duncan?” Gaichu heard Duncan’s hands pausing on the ladder’s metal steps. “Give my regards to Blink.”   


The ork proceeded the rest of the way up the ladder without getting another word in, surprising Gaichu. He was positive that he’d have gone off. Just as well though. There was a lot for Gaichu to process. And remaining in his room suddenly felt a lot less tenable than was wise.

Opening the door Gaichu walked the narrow straightaway to Racter, who judging from the sounds of industry that greeted the blind ghoul, had returned to his work just as the ork had stepped out.   


“I was expecting to hear from you.” The rigger didn’t sound like he’d moved from his spot. Had he spoken to him over his shoulder? “Thank you for remaining in the room like you did. If the situation had escalated I would have been forced to put down Duncan and I would hate for you to get in the crossfire before I had a chance to examine you.”

Gaichu wasn’t sure how he was supposed to feel about that, though he suddenly had an idea of what it was about the rigger that drove Duncan crazy.   


“Do you think it wise to antagonize him like you did? What if the turrets had misfired? I very much doubt that it would take a lot for him to kill you.” Gaichu made sure to keep his words as diplomatic and neutral as he could. The rigger hadn’t responded to the ork’s passion or fury with much more than a raised tone so maybe a calm, measured approach would bring out more satisfactory answers.

He heard Racter take a long drag of his cigarette and exhale. “Your hearing is quite remarkable, my friend. But rest assured, I am quite confident that my security system would’ve performed admirably.”

“And if it hadn’t.” Gaichu asked.

“I would die.” Racter stated simply.

“You say that like it isn’t a big deal.” Gaichu was incredulous. But, apparently, Racter wasn’t.

“I say that because it is the truth. I am not ashamed to admit that I am not Duncan’s physical equal; I am a scientist first and foremost. I do not have his experience on the streets or his training. And I am well aware of how… lacking my marksmanship is. Between my work and the runs I simply do not have the time to devote to such a pursuit. Besides, I have Koschei for that.”

Up close Gaichu could hear what the walls and turrets had filtered out: the complete lack of emotion in the rigger’s voice. He realized that he must’ve superseded meaning and inflection over Racter’s words and given meaning to his sentences that in hindsight might not have been there. “You’re being remarkably blase about something that could potentially get you killed.”   


“And why would I not be?” Racter was far more unperturbed by the thought of his impending death than Gaichu knew he would be. Had proven he’d be. “Facts are facts. They can change but to deny the truth is both incongruous to science and life-threatening. I cannot solve a problem when I refuse to admit that one exists.”

“This is true.” Gaichu admitted he had a good point. Didn’t take away from how creepy he was. “I have myself come across this multiple times since becoming a ghoul.”

“Oh?” There was a slight inflection again. Apparently Gaichu had peaked his curiosity. “I would have suspected that the loss of one’s humanity would be a breaking point for most. Tell me, how did you overcome such a potentially dramatic event?”

Gaichu shrugged.“I suppose that it was being hunted like an animal that kept me from getting too caught up in what I’d become. Subsequently it also forced me to evolve, both as a being and as a warrior.”

“You do seem to be much more together both physically and mentally than most ghouls.”

“That’s probably because I refused to die. I suspect that had something to do with me keeping humanity. I also bath on a regular basis.” Whatever Gaichu became he still had self-respect; even if the rest of the world refused to treat him like a human didn’t mean he had to.

“I appreciate that. Appearance aside, an unhygienic squatmate would quickly become a nuisance.”

Did he realize his words cut to the bone? Possibly. He seemed the sort to sow discord, step back and watch as friends and family tear each other apart, all in the pursuit of science. “I see. I shall be sure to bathe regularly. Now if you’ll excuse me I need to return to my studies. We can continue this later.”

“Of course. Have a pleasant rest friend.”

Gaichu retreated to his room, not particularly caring about how he appeared and suddenly very much aware of his own humanity. He shut the door behind him and sought his meager possessions, pulling them out of the small box he’d packed them in and cradled them in his arms. Momentos of an earlier time, before a single mistake had taken it all away from him.

_ Life and death are of supreme importance. Time swiftly passes by and opportunity is lost. Each of us should strive to awaken. Awaken. Take heed, do not squander your life. _

Putting them back in the box he sat down in the middle of the room, on the small futon he’d brought with him. Idly he wondered if it still held the Renkaku logo and smiled; he was blind now so he’d have no way to see it. And no reason either; time would wear it out until it faded. Besides, he’d the RFID tag removed long ago. 

  
“Time waits for no man. But I am not a man anymore, am I?”    


The dark had no answer. Just as well. He pulled off his armor and he slid underneath the fabrics. Rested his head on his arms and closed his eyes, for all the good it would do him. He’d have to talk to Kris about what she wanted from him, though she rather suspected that she’d come to him. She seemed the sort to reach out to people; or at least those she’s around. And if he was going to be working with them, to get used to what he’d become, he’d have to go out and engage the world, if only from the shadows.   


He smiled in the darkness at the irony of it all, his thoughts fading underneath a tsunami of exhaustion. Out there in the light, where his old squad was hunting him.

What would he do when he ran into those that he hadn’t killed? What would he do then?

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wanted to try something different. I feel I succeeded though I'll leave it to you to determine how well.


	14. The Only Way Out Is Through

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An extraction, a shootout, and a promise. All within the same day.  
> **Edit** Made a change to the fight scene. **Edit**

Shangri-La: a high-end, too-rich-for-your-blood restaurant on a ship, covered in glitter and gold. Where the person they were supposed to get was stuffing his face on overpriced food. Just thinking about the prices for the food made Duncan’s wallet hurt.

And then there was his partner’s outfit. “Do you really need that monkey suit? What about your old gear?” Instead of his ordinary flak jacket and matching cargo pants Blink had gone with the dress suit he’d conned the saleslady in Whampoa into giving him for free.

And while Duncan admitted that he looked good in it (he liked the way it made his ass perk, who knew?) it wasn’t something you took on a job. And no, he didn’t care for Blink’s assurances that it was threaded with kevlar. Most of what the shadows were packing could easily punch holes in that three piece.

“What? You don’t like it?” He turned around in his suit, as if checking himself over. “I can understand your not liking it. It’s not exactly something I can see you wearing.”

Duncan’s eyes lingered on Blink’s swaying body before he realized he should say something. “I’m just… it looks expensive. And what do you mean, ‘not something I can wear?’ You don’t think I’ll look good in a suit?” There had been a slight chill in Blink’s voice, one he hadn’t heard before. _Is he mad at me?_

Cue the dead-eyed glance from Blink. “Okay first off, it’s supposed to look expensive,” he said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “And you’re more… street chic than modern business. Riot gear and full-body armor look better on you than it does on me.” There was the ice again, inflecting Blink’s voice. Duncan wasn’t even able to tell if he’d been serious, but just decided to run with it.

“Well, what if you get in a fight? No one will go easy on you just because you look good.”

“Then I suppose it’s good that you’re here then, Duncan.” Kris had worn a bright red dress with a green dragon circling down and a matching pair of boots and he hadn’t minded her wearing that; at least _she_ could look after herself. Why couldn’t Blink have  been like Is0bel and just put on what he usually did?

Duncan sighed. He liked that flak jacket; it came with enough protection that he didn’t have to worry about a stray shot hitting something vital. Plus, it looked good on him. Why didn’t he see that?

Blink straightened upright. “My sources tell me that the Shangri-La’s a haven for neophyte execs looking to vent some steam, and for runners to do their dirty work.  They’d be a lot more loose with their lips and credsticks when the person they’re talking to looks at least halfway presentable.”

“This is the perfect chance to expand our network,” Kris continued, “I don’t know about you but I don’t want to rely on Kindly if I don’t have to.”

_That’s easy for you to say; you’re not the one who’s gonna have to be looking after you!_

“That’s probably be wise but remember what we’re here for.” Is0bel clutched the bag carrying her grenade launcher, proving her point.

“Yeah I got it. I don’t think here’s here,” a quick glance had turned up a whole lot of suits, but no one who looked liked they’d be able to handle themselves in a fight. Maybe he was incognito like Blink, and didn’t want to make waves.

_Or maybe he’s just not on this floor. I mean there’s at least one more right above us._

“I doubt he’d be hard to find; Kindly said that he’d never come here without his bodyguard Talon.” She pointed to a nearby stairwell, where an intimidating looking troll stood guard. “I’d lay odds that he’s up there.”

“I was thinking the same thing,” Duncan snorted, “But that doesn’t help us find a way up there. What’s the plan, oh fearless leader?”

A roll of the eyes from Kris. “We’ll split into two groups, so as to not raise suspicion.” She pointed to the other end of a bar, where a man who’d looked like he’d been robbed was drowning his sorrows in whatever passed for alcohol. “That’s a good mark to start with. Is0bel and I will go talk with him. See if we can’t get something started.”

“Okay. I’ll wait here with Blink and try to blend in. Just like the Barrens eh PB?” She gave him that lopsided grin he’d come to know and love and took off. He turned to see Blink chatting up one of the waitresses, shuttering silently as he watched the mage slip something into her shirt - _a credstick. It’s just a credstick, dammit! Just like with the saleslady in Whampoa-.  
_

Duncan bristled at the thought of Whampoa, being reminded of Racter. Somehow worse than his terrible performance as a leader was the thought of Racter being anywhere near Blink. Talking to him. Walking by him. Hell, even just thinking about him, was enough to make his blood boil and make him regret not finishing him off in his little workshop.

“Did you want anything Duncan?”

“Just give me something big but not too big. Better make that two,” he said as his eyes roamed Blink’s body, “You could stand to put some meat on you.”

Blink rolled his eyes and turned to the waitress. “Pardon me, but would it be possible to put this order by the counter,” he cooed, “This is my first time here and I’d like to see what the cook does up close so that I can see what I’m getting. Besides, I would very much like to continue our conversation.”

The waitress swooned. “Of course sir!”  Duncan rolled his eyes. He was just like Kris, able to talk his way out of almost anything. Almost. And he was very particular about the way he carried himself. If only he’d put on some proper clothes!

Duncan watched Blink and the waitress move to the counter. Blink had put on some more muscle but not nearly enough in Duncan’s mind. Kris had been very helpful in keeping him on a proper diet -at least, what Duncan thought was proper- when he’d kicked the mage out of his own room. He still wanted to make up for that, he just wasn’t sure how.

“Excuse me,” came a voice to his right, “Pardon me for being so forward but are you sure that you should be out in public, Mr. Duncan Wu?”

The sound of his name, and the not-so-subtle warning, brought Duncan back to reality. To his side was a Catonese elf as tall as he was wearing a very nice three-piece. Much like the one Blink had on, though obviously of a better make. The elf himself was very easy on the eyes and stood with a subtle grace, inoffensive and unassuming.

This all immediately set Duncan on edge; all of what he saw in the elf he’d seen of his sister, back in the Barrens, where she’d project this same ease to make someone lower their guard before wrecking their shit and taking them for all they were worth.

The elf went on, his tone steady and his gaze unblinking. “I am not sure if you are aware of it Mr. Duncan Wu but Hong Kong dragnets tend to be rather painstaking, so you should really be on your guard. You never know who could be looking out for you.”

The warning bells were ringing loudly in Duncan’s ears, and only grew louder with each word out of the elf’s mouth. He took an involuntary step back.

“However, given your past with Lone Star you are more than likely all too aware of that, so please forgive my presumption.” He did his best to look like he was sorry, his eyes downcast and hand on his chest. But Duncan wasn’t buying it; he was too smart for that. Or at least he hoped he was.

“Duncan? Is something the matter?” Duncan felt his heart rise at the sound of Blink’s voice. His words were much softer than Duncan was used to hearing from him. It reminded him of Carter, of when she’d come to check on him and see if he was okay. “You didn’t come when I called. I was getting worried.” He affected that last bit with a nervous chuckle, again just like Carter.

Duncan’s mind ran with the possibilities; Blink wasn’t anything like Carter, despite the similarities. So why would he - oh! Carter had been his boss.

“I’m… sorry, sir.” Duncan worked to seem like a stupid ork, choking on his pride and his words. “I was just… talking with this man.” Duncan indicated the tall elf, who’d turned to Blink without another glance at Duncan.

“Oh. Didn’t know you had company,” he said, as he stepped around the much taller ork and he gave the elf a brilliant smile, “I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure Mr…?” He cocked an eye as he left the sentence hanging.

The man didn’t miss a beat. “I am Tan Jing. And you would be Benjamin if I am not mistaken.” He stuck out his hand with a brilliant smile.

Blink’s eyes went as wide as his smile. As he took his hand “Oh so you’ve heard of me! I’m flattered. And I’ve heard of you too, Mr. Jing.”

A self-effacing chuckle from Tan. “Only good things I hope.”

“Only the best!” Blink airily assured him.

And so it started, this social dance. Duncan never had the patience for it -why tippytoe around a problem when you can just cut straight to the point and be done with it- but Kris was an old pro. She’d saved his life more than once with nothing more than a kind word. And when that didn’t work, she wasn’t afraid to throw down, right then and there. That’s why he named her Point Blank; because despite her gentle words and soft touch, she was unafraid of getting right to the point.

“How have you been enjoying Hong Kong?” he continued conversationally. “I know that it isn’t like Europe but I do hope that you’ve at least been enjoying yourself.”

Duncan’s eyes narrowed behind his goggles. _He knows about Saeder-Krupp and is trying to pump Blink for info._

“The sights of Hong Kong have been varied and splendid. I’ve especially loved the skyscrapers. Such a lovely sight.” _Good one Blink! Don’t let him crack you._

Duncan’s well-trained eyes spotted Tan’s smile drop just a bit. “I’m happy for you. And if you’ll pardon me for a bit I couldn’t help but notice that you were having problems ordering.” _Shit! He’s been tailing us!_ “The Shangri-La has a vast and varied multicultural menu with so much to choose from, so I can understand how it can be a bit daunting.” He motioned for a nearby waitress, the same one Blink had been chatting up, to pick up a menu and come on over. “If you like I can assist you. There is a good selection of exquisite German food. Might I recommend the Käsespätzle? It is a specialty of the house. With some mulled wine and some Rote grütze for dessert.” He handed the menu back to the waitress with a gentle ‘thank you’.

Duncan bristled at the obvious power move. But the smile never left Blink’s face.

“That will not be necessary.” He said to the waitress, who’d stopped and stared at him, while his eyes never left Tan’s.

Tan’s eyes rose in mock concern, and the smile on his face was a just a little bit mocking as well. “Oh? Was there something else Blink?”

Blink waved off his concern with an easy smile and a wave of his hand. “Yes! The Shangri-La is incredible. However,” He clutched his chest much like Tan had, “I am not the one who suggested coming here.” He gestured to Duncan with a smile and a gentle pat on his upper arm, “It was this man here. He’s proven to be an indispensable asset since I got here.”

“Oh?” Tan’s eyes shifted back to Duncan. “Really?”

“Yes really!” Blink’s smile was bright. “It’s been thanks to his efforts that I’ve been able to stay one step ahead of trouble.” He put just the slightest emphasis on ‘one step ahead’. “As such, I’ve decided to submit to whatever _he_ wants.” Blink turned to the waitress and smiled softly. “There might be a slight delay in our orders so please don’t let me keep you. I don’t want to keep you from getting those tips,” he finished with a wink. “We’ll get someone else to get our order. Just leave the menu on the table.”

The waitress smiled and took off, but not before putting the menus down and planting a kiss on Blink’s cheek. Seeing the latter made Duncan bristle, though he worked to keep it under control. _Stop flirting with her! We’ve got something to deal with right here!!_

All the while the elf’s eyes never strayed from Duncan, though the ork knew he’d seen everything else. There was a ... _darkness_ that had risen within him, a blackened edge, like a knife, that Duncan felt pressed into his neck even as he stared into his eyes. “I see,” he finally said, after an uncomfortably long period of saying nothing at all.

There was a loud scuffling sound from upstairs. Two burly trolls covered with tats signaling them as triads burst through the doors. One of them looking like he’d eaten something that disagreed with him, fought him and then beat him within an inch of his life before robbing him at gunpoint and running off with his girl.

Out of the corner of his eye Duncan spotted his sister and Is0bel slip away in the confusion, discreetly signaling for him to get Blink and follow. The hand on his arm pressed into it, not painfully but enough that he knew Blink saw it too.

“Well it looks like we’ll have to cut out conversation short, my friend.”

“Indeed, it’s quite a shame. I’m still happy to have met you.”

“I feel the same way. Good day to you Mr. Jing. I hope the rest of the night treats you well.”

Blink tapped Duncan on the shoulder and turned to leave. Playing the roll of dutiful bodyguard Duncan followed closely behind him, projecting an air of ‘touch him and die’ as he stepped forward, the crowd parting before him. Just before the stairwell he turned. just in time to see Jing speaking to Blink’s waitress and pocket the credstick he’d given her.

Once they were up the stairs and out of the way Blink let out a huge sigh. “Dammit! I never wanted to do that!”

“Who was that? He knew who I was. Who _you_ were. I’m guessing he ain’t someone I can just shoot.” _though I definitely want to._

Blink shook his head. “That was Tan Jing, company man and Johnson for Wuxing Inc.” Blink sneered as he straightened himself, “Had a dossier on him given to me before I got here. He’s even more intimidating than I’d imagined.” Blink straightened himself up, all traces of his earlier good cheer gone and replaced with a cold professionalism.

“Is he that dangerous?” Was he just imagining it? Blink didn’t look terrified but he didn’t look happy either. “Also didn’t Bastion try to keep you in the dark about Hong Kong? How’d you find out about Tan?”

“The man’s an adept like Kris but with loads more experience.” There was an edge to Blink’s voice, like the tip of a glacier, that told Duncan that no he wasn’t. “Not to mention the backing of one of the biggest corps in the world. Certainly the biggest one in Hong Kong. Definitely not someone you want to cross. I’d have been surprised if he _didn’t_ know who I was.” He turned and smirked at the larger ork, specks of light twinkling within his amber eyes. “And Bastion is far from the only one who works at SK; some of the other researchers gave me info when he was busy with other things. They also helped me learn some skills on how to be a better face and on what to wear.”

“So that’s how you learned how to talk and dress.” Duncan struggled to make sense of all of this. His danger sense was still blaring but it wasn’t nearly as loud as before. Light scuffling from the room down the hall brought both of them back to the present. “That’s all fascinating stuff but we should probably get moving.”

Blink nodded. “I agree.” He took off down the hall, with Duncan right beside him. The heat on Duncan’s arm where Blink had touched him hadn’t left. And despite himself, Duncan found that he missed it.

“So,” Duncan started, as he turned the corner into the room, “Back there, with Jing. How much of it did you mean?”

“I’ll admit that most of it was bull but then most of what he said was utter crap.” The pep in his voice didn’t mesh well with the mask of rage on his face. “That’s the name of the game and I hadn’t thought I’d be able to pull it off.”

Duncan wasn’t sure he liked the way this conversation was going. “Blink-”

“I mean I didn’t think I would be able to pull it off, it was so hard. It’s just blind luck that those researchers were just willing to instruct me so well.”

Duncan felt his heart drop into his stomach. “Blink-”

“There are a lot of people who I owe an apology, there’s even more who owe me. It’s such an odd thing to be both right and wrong about the same thing.”.

“Ben-”

“ _Duncan.”_ The sound of his name, in that icy tone, stopped Duncan from speaking. “I get it, you’ve got a lot on your plate. I understand that. So you don’t have to explain anything to me.” He held up a hand when Duncan tried to talk to him again and sighed. “I’ve already talked it over with Kris; when we’re done here I’ll be moving in with her. At least until I can find another spot to stay somewhere in Hoei. As I’m not technically a part of her crew I don’t _have_ to stay with you; only to work with you. And that might not happen as often as it has been.”

Duncan felt his heart drop a bit with each word. “Blink wait I-”

Blink coldly stared him in the eyes and turned his back to him. “Let’s get going. The sooner we get our target out of here, the sooner I can move out. It’s better this way, for the both of us.”

Duncan felt his heart sink into the cold abyss that had opened in his stomach as he watched Blink march down the corridor. This wasn’t what he wanted. Then despair turned to anger. _This isn’t what I want! This isn’t want I want at all!_ He wanted to talk to him so badly it hurt but then admitted to himself that maybe he hadn’t been the best roommate, or friend.

Is that what they were? Friends? Duncan can’t remember if he’d ever acted like it, and suddenly understood why it was that Blink wanted to get away from him. He followed him down the hallway, not feeling it but knowing that it’d be easier to focus once he’d gotten some work done.

Burnt marks and broken furniture decorated the once-pristine VIP room, with half-eaten food splattered across the elaborate carpeting. In the midst of all this stood Point Blank, barely scuffled, her fists dripping red; Is0bel, one hand on her custom silvergun, the other brushing an errant strand of hair out of her face; a shivering elf in a well-made suit huddled in the corner that Duncan guessed was the guy they’d been sent to extract; and the bodies of several 289 thugs.

Is0bel looked up to see Duncan and motioned to Kris, who turned to her brother.“There you are. We were wondering what had happened to you.” Kris caught Duncan’s blush and rose an eyebrow. “ It looks like something did. You alright there Duncan?” the concern in her voice only made Duncan feel worse.

“Got held up by some guy.” It wasn’t the complete truth but it was all he felt like unloading. “He knew who I was Kris. About the APB, about Raymond’s disappearance. Bastard knew about all of it. He even know about Blink’s Saeder-Krupp affiliations, if all his hinting meant what I thought it did.” His nerves were still jittery from the encounter.

Kris blinked at her brother and then to Blink, who returned her gaze with his own steadier stare. “Tan Jing: fixer and Johnson for Wuxing. Apparently he’d been following us.”

Duncan watched his sister’s normally-shimmering eyes grow wide as she visible struggled to process everything she’d just been told, reeling from the shock. “This-- this isn’t good Gunshow.” She turned to the shivering man and pounded the wall, sending him scurrying further into the corner. “Did… did he mention anything else? I don’t think I need to tell you that we can’t handle any anymore surprises right now.”

“You needn’t worry.” Blink stepped up beside Duncan and smiled at Kris. “He tried to suss more information out of us but we stonewalled him pretty good.” The stare he gave Duncan was only a bit less icy than it’d been in the halls. “Plus I let it out that he, and by extension _you,_ are working with Saeder-Krupp through me. He’s gonna think twice before doing anything.”

“Plus Wuxing’s got a long-standing agreement with the Yellow Lotus,” Is0bel chimed in, “So even if _that_ falls through you’re still good.”

“That and this is a hot locale for shadow-work, and he didn’t want to disrupt the equilibrium. Hong Kong’s all about face, after all.” Blink suggested, earning a nod from Is0bel. “I gotta remember that.”

Duncan watched the emotions play across Kris’s face even as he struggled with his own. He was safe, ironically enough, within the thrall of a criminal syndicate, and under the alleged ‘protection’ of the largest corporation on the face of the earth. He should be relieved but wasn’t; Raymond was still out there, and now it looked like more and more people knew about him.

“He’s not going to get you while I’m here.” Duncan’s ears perked at the iron in Blink’s voice and hoped against hope that he included _him_ when he said that. “If there’s anything I know about people like him, and I’ve had to deal with a few since joining SK,  they always want to have an upperhand when dealing with people, and keeping themselves hidden is part of that.. If he’d intended anything, we’d never know it was him.”

“You mean he’d hire us for a Run where we can’t help but fail and that gets him what he wants, killing two birds with one stone.”

A cool nod from Blink.“The key to good business is to get more for less. And as expendable assets Runners make for excellent cannon fodder.” He turned from Duncan to the whimpering elf in the corner. “This our target?”

“Yep,” Is0bel replied. “That’s him.”

“We caught that much from the way he cawed at us when we came in.” Kris sneered, “Nearly caught him across the mouth once we’d dealt with his guards but then the coward retreated into himself and…” She wildly gestured to the area around him, “See for yourself.”

At that the cowering elf spoke up. “Hey. I-I got a name you know!”

Duncan snorted. “Don’t remember asking.” He turned to Kris. “Got an ETA on our getaway driver? I’d rather not be here when shit hits the fan.”

“Yes. We’re to meet him down at the docks.” She pulled out her commlink and quickly typed something in. “He says to hurry.”

“Well let’s not keep him waiting.” Duncan rolled his shoulders and reached for the shivering coward, pulling him so that his face was inches from his. “Are you going to cooperate with us, or are we going to have to get physical?” he asked, flashing a full-fanged smile, “Now you’ll probably want the former while me… _I want to get physical_.”

He brought up his other hand and flexed it in Rooster’s face, his point proven by the elf’s renewed whimpering. Between Blink wanting to move out and meeting Tan downstairs Duncan was asking for _something_ to take his frustrations out on. And here was this simpering S.O.B., who’d refused to do more than cry. Just being around him was raising his blood pressure.

The elf’s response was immediate. “I’ll cooperate! I promise!!”

A derisive snort. “Good.” And he dropped him onto the ground and let him pull himself up. “Now, do you know a way out of here Kris? We can’t go back downstairs, not with that man down there.”

“No you’re right.” she turned to their decker, “ Is0bel, what’s the quickest way to the harbor from here? Is there a backdoor or some secret room that we can get through without setting off any alarms?”

“I haven’t had a chance to get one, because I didn’t think we’d need it but if you could find me a jackpoint I could download one.”

“I-I can get you a jackpoint.” The elf said suddenly, “There’s one down by the docks-”

“-Which we can’t get to from here, in case you forgot the last five seconds while you were pissing yourself all over the carpet!” Duncan pulled the man by the scruff of his five-piece suit and slammed him against the wall.

Rooster threw his hands across his face and shouted “Oh god please don’t hurt me!” like a frightened child.

“Give us something we can use, NOW!!” Duncan felt his rage rising to a fever point, unsure if the red he was seeing were from his goggles or from the haze in his mind.

“T-t-there’s a secret passage in the other room! I-it takes you straight down to the docks!”

Duncan dropped him again. “So there you go.” He rolled his shoulders, which popped and cracked, and turned to Kris. “Let’s not waste any more time.”

He stood back as Kris and Is0bel took off out the door and pushed the terrified 289er to follow them while he followed behind. Blink followed beside him, not so much as looking in Duncan’s direction. The cold pit in his stomach widened at that. 

“Just who would want this coward? Doesn’t seem like the type to be good  for anything.” Duncan wanted to say something, anything, to break the ice and bridge the distance he’d put between then. “Just a parasite, sucking on the teats of those stronger than he is, like that ork who came charging into the kitchen.” A lot of his anger was misplaced, he admitted, but still it felt good for him to get it out. If only for the familiarity.

“Can’t say I understand how triads work Duncan.” There. He’d said his name, but still didn’t look at him. “It’s a totally different game on the other side of the world.” Duncan snorted, glad he wasn’t the only one who felt like that. “I don’t think I’ll ever stop feeling like an outsider. I can’t wait to leave this place.” There was his earlier vulnerability, if only for a second, before it got closed behind some ice. But it was enough to give Duncan hope.

“Me too. Just gotta find Raymond and figure out what happened to him. Then we can leave Kindly and the Triads behind us.”

“Oh! Kindly? As in Kindly Cheng?” Rooster piped up. Duncan cursed himself, “You’re running for her? She set you up on this run didn’t she?”

At that Kris and Is0bel stopped running and turned to Rooster. “What is to you if we are?” Duncan sneered.

“W-well there’s a boat coming through Hoei in a about a week, a shipment with some… precious cargo. I’ve got the codes for the plans and where they’re supposed to go.”

Duncan’s eyes narrowed at Rooster. “Precious cargo?”

Is0bel spoke up. “Metahuman trafficking. That’s usually what they mean by precious cargo.”She must’ve caught his confusion. “Primarily sex trafficking, but it’s not unusual for them to venture into darker waters, usually for the highest bidder.”

“Hell yeah! There’s good money in it, but we don’t usually go around port authority to do it. We’ve got an outstanding business deal with them.” Rooster was far more jubilant than Duncan thought a kidnapping victim had a right to be had any right to be.

“Not under James Zhang you don’t.”

Rooster rolled his eyes at Is0bel. “Like the man has eyes everywhere. We don’t have anything to worry about. We’d just gotten some _top_ clients who’re more than used to dealing with self-righteous blowhards like Zhang, and are more than capable of getting around whatever he tries.”

“The megacorps then,” Is0bel offered. “Which is it? Or is it more than one?”

Duncan’s gaze drifting more than once onto Blink, whose own face had turned hard. “Do you think you could talk to some of your contacts at Swiss-Bank? See what they know?”

“...Yes.” The crack in Blink’s armor felt different and Duncan made a note to ask about it later. If there even was a later... “I’ll see what I can find. Oh hey Is0bel! There’s a jackpoint right over there. See if you can get the docks open.”

The way she eyed him as she darted past told Duncan at she’d noticed it too, though she didn’t give him a backwards glance as she pulled out her custom deck and jacked in. “Give me a few minutes and I’ll have this place open in no time.”

As if on cue the doors to the restaurant across the docks flew open, with armed and angry gangers charging through the doorway, along with a familiar looking bloke whose face was still puffy with regret. “Rooster! I know you’re there!”

“Talon! Oh thank God you’re here!” He took several steps towards the bloated ork, turn and pointed a finger accusingly at Duncan. “Listen, buddy listen. these ruffians tried to kidnap me. Can you believe it?”

Duncan couldn’t find it in him to be hardly bothered. “Wasn’t he all gungho not even two minutes ago?” He quipped to Blink, who just shrugged.

“Really now?” Talon’s eyes glazed over the lithe elf onto Duncan and the others. “Because it looks like you’re sitting pretty with them quite well, I should say. ...Almost like you were expecting them.”

All the color drained from Rooster’s face. “Talon?”

“I think you wanted to get taken,” Talon continued, as he turned an accusatory glare at Rooster, “That you were worried about what might happen to you when it came out that you peeked at our plans for all that precious cargo.”

Duncan smirked at that. _So he was telling the truth._

“Talon, no.” The cock in Rooster’s voice had gone, replaced by a pitiful whine that seemed to hang onto everything he said. He took an involuntary step backwards. “Please. It’s not like that Talon. I never intended to turn on anybody I-”

“And,” Talon’s mighty baritone boomed over Rooster’s soft tenor, “it looks like I was right to call it in.” He glanced over the quivering elf onto the Runners behind him, “You’ve betrayed us. Traitor.”

The hairs on Duncan’s neck started to stand on end. He could taste the tension in the air; the rush of an impending fight; the promise of a slaughter. A large part of him revelled in the chance to fight again. His hands slipped onto his rifle, gripping it as his eyes scanned the docks.

A hand grazed his back and he left his body growing harder, giving him a sense of -what was it Carter called it? Impermeability. He glanced behind him and smiled.

 _Blink._ “I’ll get Rooster to safety.” He was on the ground behind him, out of sight of just about every one, his other hand on Kris’s arm, probably giving her the same spell. “Be ready to fight when you get the signal.” He gave him another pat to let him know what the signal would be.

“You’re learning.” Blink winked at him and then focused his gaze on Rooster. A quick glance around told him that no one had noticed him. Did he move as soon as he saw what was happening? Clever.

“You can’t do this to me! Think of all we’ve been through! You know I would never betray you or the 289s; not to Cheng! Not to anyone!”

The ork brandished a FN HAR and leveled it at the stammering Rooster. “You can save your little sermon for the fish when we throw your dead body into the harbor along with all of your new friends!”

Duncan felt Blink pat him on the back; go time. He rushed forward, breaking out of cover, drawing the attention of everyone except Talon, who’s gun remained trained on Rooster. He felt a shift behind him and saw Talon’s eyes go wide as Blink suddenly _blink_ in front of him. The triad enforcer fired a shot off that just missed Blink, who’d grabbed Rooster and _blinked_ away before it could get him, with the shot grazing Duncan as he rushed forward and slid into cover as shots from the guards across the harbor sailed over his head.

Once behind cover he unloaded his gun on Talon, slashing a bullet across his left eye before the ganger ducked down. Using the gunfire as cover, Kris charged across the harbor and punched out one of the guards, whose limp body she kicked into the water before sliding back into cover. His fellows rained vengeance in the form of machine-gun fire on her position.

The same guns were turned on Duncan, who felt his cover being chipped away. A few shots hit him but did little more than make welts on his arms while shredding the pier around him.

_Guess his magic’s good for something._

A bolt of energy shot out and smashed against one of the triads, whose headless body fell into the water. Duncan turned to see Blink, eyes crackling with energy, throw another mage bolt. The triad let out a piercing cry as his gun exploded in a burst of blood and gore.

Duncan watched the mage gear up another bolt as a large troll pulled out an M79 Grenade Launcher. Staring at Blink, who was too focused on Kris to see her. Duncan fired a shot through the troll’s head, but not before she was able to fire her grenade.

“BLINK!!”

With a desperate roar Duncan threw himself out of cover and charged at Blink, covering him just as the grenade exploded. Launching them both over the edge of the pier and into the water.

The cool water did little to help the incessant ringing in Duncan’s ears and he was only too aware of how lucky he was. The armor spell had long since diminished and Duncan could feel the part of his body that had been flayed by shrapnel, could see the blood flowing from the many minute cuts on his arms into the water.

A gentle energy started to flow through his body, the blood flow ceasing as the cuts closed up under his gaze. He glanced down at the human in his arms, seeing his amber eyes shimmer against the dark water. His cheeks were puffy from holding his breath. The mage glanced into his eyes and pointed upwards and then threw his arms around Duncan.

Duncan nodded and swam to the surface, the strain of holding Blink a bit more noticable underwater. Duncan broke the water with a huge gulp, suddenly thankful to be alive. Again the mage pointed upwards, to the sides of a pier entirely too far up for them to reach. And again Duncan nodded in return.

Duncan felt Blink’s arms tighten around him and then felt the sudden loss of sensation that came with _blinking_ before suddenly finding himself out of the water, just enough above the pier that catching his arms onto the sides as he fell didn’t hurt as much as it otherwise would’ve.

He pulled himself onto the pier and collapsed onto his back, panting for air, with a similarly gasping Blink still clinging onto him.

“That was some ride,” He rasped. He felt Blink nodded against his chest and smiled. “I hope you won’t mind if we don’t do that again.”

He felt Blink groan against his chest, not too uncomfortably, he surprised himself by feeling. “Didn’t think that would work. And I’m all too happy to never do that again.”

He looked down to see the mage staring back at him with a wide smile, and gave him one in return. He started to laugh and so did Blink. A piercing scream brought him back to reality.

“Drek!!”

Blink jumped off of Duncan and they as two ran towards the shout. Just in front of them they see Rooster scuttle across the pier with Talon, half-blind but somehow still upright, right on him.

“Talon! Talon! Johnny, please-!”

“Oh we are so past that now! First I have to follow your worthless ass to the one restaurant in Hong Kong that can’t follow simple allergy directions and now I’m down one eye! You’ll die along with those runners in the water!” He leveled his gun at him. “You spineless runt!”

Then Talon noticed Duncan and Blink coming at him and turned his gun at them. Duncan, seeing this, pulled Blink and ducked into cover, just as bullets began to pelt his position. He glances down at a rasping Blink, and then at his gun. Waterlogged.

_Drek!_

He peeked out of the side to see Rooster scurry away, with Talon none the wiser. The big ork is still firing off at them, his lack of sight evident in his wild aiming. Talon meet Duncan’s eyes and followed his gaze to Rooster… and let out a broad grin.

“You must be new to this,” he said to Duncan, “Otherwise you’d know to never leave your jacked-in decker alone!”

_Is0bel!_

Duncan ran out of cover after Johnny, who’d disappeared into the corner. Turning the corner he saw Talon staring at him with a wicked grin, his gun aimed at a jacked in Is0bel and Rooster, who’d shivered in the corner next to her. The ganger, seeing him out of his good eye, tilted his gun in Duncan's direction and fired, a bullet grazing his shoulder as he slid behind a metal crate. A hand rested on his shoulder and he felt the graze in his shoulder start to close.

_Blink._

The lithe mage sat panting against the crate, a single eye fixed on the taller ork. Duncan went to remove the hand and, ignoring the way he winced at his touch, set it in Blink's side and peeked out of cover at Talon, whose single eye blazed with hate in his direction. "You gonna stay in hiding with your magical boyfriend," Talon roared, "that's fine with me! I'll help myself to that turncoat Rooster _and_ your little decker friend." A wicked sneer formed on his face as it fell behind him, growing wider as it settled onto whatever it was behind him.

Following Talon's gaze Duncan saw Rooster beside a comatose Is0bel, his eyes wide with fright as he stared into the barrel of the G12A3z. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten about you.” Talon snipped, and fired. Rooster pulled the decker just out of the line of fire and moved as far her wire allowed.

“Well isn’t this a surprise? Not even a minute ago you were _begging_ me to save you and now you’re trying to be a hero?” He fired again, and again Rooster moved, with Is0bel, out of the way. “I’d honestly be impressed if she wasn’t still wired. Kinda limits how far you can move. Not that it matters…” he pointed to Is0bel and fired. Rooster moved just far enough away to save her but got hit in his shoulder. “Because all I have to do is keep firing at you and I’ll eventually hit one of you.”

Rooster clutched his shoulder above the wound, with blood gushing out and around his fingers. He glanced up at Talon, eyes still full of fright, and burst out laughing.

“And what may I add is so damned funny?”

“You seemed to have forgotten,” Rooster cooed, “I didn’t make three new friends; I made _four!_ ”

At that Kris came bursting out of the corner. Talon turned his gun on her and got one round off before she disarmed him with a backhand to his elbow, caught it, flipped him onto the pier and slammed his throat with a ki-enhanced punch.

Talon clutched wildly at his throat as blood came gushing from his mouth. In moments his hands fell onto their sides and his gargles slowly subsided until they went away completely.

Kris spit on him. “That’s what you get fragger!” She turned to Rooster and nodded. “Not bad.” and then to Duncan. “You alright?”

Duncan looked back at Blink, who was slow onto his feet. “Yeah I’m good,” he said as he helped Blink up, “we’re good. Things got a little crazy back there didn’t they PB?”

“I know right?” She grinned. "But then, that's how it's always been right, Gunshow?"

The gates to the docks finally opened and Is0bel came out of the matrix. “Doors open. Let’s bounce.” She glanced down at the dead Talon. “What happened.” And then at Duncan and Blink, “What’d I miss?” Before turning onto Rooster. “And _why_ are you touching me?”

Rooster immediately let her go and pulled himself up, clutching his wounded shoulder. He turned and gave Kris a big smile and slumped onto a box and started to cry.

 _Guess it’s all catching up to him._ “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you on the way back.”

They pulled into the boat and took off, the sirens right behind them. Duncan, seeing Blink sit down sat right next to him. They sat while his sister and Is0bel got Rooster situated and treated his shoulder, the silence they shared unnoticed by the rest of the crew.

“What do you want-” Blink began.

“I’m sorry,” Duncan said. “Okay, I’m… I-I’m sorry.”

“You already apologized back on the Bolthole.” Blink didn’t even look up. “So why are you doing it again?”

“Listen. Blink. Give me another chance.” Duncan fumbled over his words but pressed on. “Look… I know I haven’t been the best roommate. Between losing Carter and getting the APB slapped on me and everything else I hadn’t had the time to process it.”

“That does sound like a lot.” Blink’s tone was laced with disinterest but at least he was talking.

“It is. One minute I’m a fine upstanding citizen and an officer of the law and in one fell swoop I’m back on the streets. It’s like I never even left.”

Blink had turned to face him then. He was frowning but Duncan didn’t sense any anger.

“I mean I worked so hard but there’s always something pulling me back!” He smashed his fist against the bulkhead above Blink, who didn’t turn a hair. He stammered out an apology and withdrew his hand. “I don’t… I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t have Kris. Probably be dead in a ditch somewhere.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“I don’t know. I just… back when I first went with Raymond I was a real mess, just like I am right now. Only worse if you can imagine that. I’d break shit and throw shit and just make life hell for him. And for Kris, I later found out. He’d never laid a hand on either of us and I never laid a hand on him but whenever I got out of an argument with the old man I’d see her go in to appease him, like only she knew how, and then things would go back to normal for a time. But there would always be these times, when she’d got Raymond to forgive me for another round of drek I’d pulled, and she’d look so tired and defeated. Then she’d see my face and snap back with a smile so fast I thought I’d imagined it.”

“Duncan…”

“I was lashing out, Blink, acting like I’d never left the streets. It was easier than learning to live in a world about walls, instead of streets that were all about breaking. And it wasn’t until I saw her face, clean from the grime of the streets, and she smiled like she did every time we got out of a scrap- I got it that I was hurting her. For no other reason than to satisfy my own ego.“

Blink looked like was about to say something, but didn’t.

“Raymond had always said that an apology is worthless without proof. I don’t have much but I can at least give you a proper explanation. So… there you go.”

The silence that followed cut Duncan to the core. He wished he’d say something, _anything;_ hell even tell him that he didn’t give a fuck about what he was saying. But the mage just sat there and said nothing until…

“That’s right.” What he was referring to Duncan wasn’t sure, but he didn’t feel it right to press him right then. “Thank you. For telling me this. It… helps, in a strange sense.”

Duncan turned down the mage and smiled. “You’re welcome.” Blink said nothing else and Duncan didn’t press him any further. He had no right to; he knew that.

Sometime during the voyage Blink had fallen asleep and when they passed through rough waters his head fell against Duncan’s arm. Duncan pulled him close without thinking, and drew his arms around Blink to hold him steady. He didn’t let go once they’d reached gentler currents. Once or twice Duncan thought that Blink had woken up, but otherwise didn’t move. And Duncan did nothing to press him about; to him this was enough.

At least for now…

Duncan had never been slow but all the same he never liked to act on his feelings. At least on his own; with Kris and Carter he at least had the excuse of someone holding the leash in case something went wrong it wouldn’t be him holding the stick. But with this, with Blink, it was all him. There was no one holding him back, and no one to blame for the fallout of his actions, but himself.

He hadn’t forgotten about Raymond; finding him was still his top priority. But that didn’t mean he could find something for _himself_ right? It wasn’t bad that he wanted something he didn’t have to share with anyone; that he could call his own.

That wasn’t to say he’d forgotten about Blink’s _employment_ with Saeder-Krupp, he hadn’t; but he admitted that was too much for him to think about. And the APB hanging over their heads; he’d never been good at long term plans, but the world seemed to chew them up in seconds anyway.

_One enemy  at a time Duncan. If you want something...someone...for your own- you’ve got to fight for them.  
_

He started to yawn and felt his eyes droop. Resting his head on Blink’s he closed his eyes and started to sleep, but not before making a pledge to learn as much about Blink as he could. And if he wanted to do that, he’d have to show Blink his best self. He’d have to be his best self. And to do that, he’d have become more than just an attack dog. He’d have to become… more than what he currently was. And then maybe, just maybe, Blink would stay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tan Jing is a character in the 5E Sourcebook for Shadowrun Returns: Hong Kong.


	15. Is0bel in Wonderland

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What that you say? Questions with answers that only lead to more questions? Curiouser and curiouser.

_ \--private chatroom-- _

_ Is0bel: I’m looking for information on Raymond Black. Do you have anything?  
_

_ Ary: Why are you asking about him? Didn’t he die in a shootout with the HKPF on the docks?  
_

_ Is0bel: You should know better than to believe everything you see on the news. As it is, there are people here who would pay handsomely to know about him. _

_ nitz&dayz: Yeah be chilled my sister. You should know by not not to believe everything you see on the news. The big bad corps have it all on lock, especially here in the Hong Kong Sprawl. You catch that bit about elections for the Executive Council? See anyone running you’d even trust to collect the schoolhouse milk money?  
_

_ Is0bel: ...anyone who can get you to be serious for a minute would get my vote. _

_ nitz&dayz: Damn girl no need to be so hostile. I’m just trying to be friendly omae. _

_ Omaechan: Did someone call for me? _

_ Is0bel: Finally! Someone with some sense! Can you please talk some sense into nitz? _

_ Ary: Omaechan! Where have you been? _

_ Omaechan: Apologizes. I was taking care of some business but that’s over now. How have you all been? And what’s this about nitz&dayz?  
_

_ Omaechan: nitz&dayz, just what have you been up to? Have you been causing problems again?  
_

_ nitz&dayz: Nothing chummer. Just chatting it up with Is0bel, who’s just being her usual straight-edge self. Nothing to worry about. _

_ Omaechan: Is0bel just likes to focus on her work and to not waste any time. You could stand to learn a thing or two from her. _

_ nitz&dayz: You wound me sir! I’ll have you know that I’ve been working my ass off, pro bono, for my girl Is0, getting her this information. At great personal cost I might add.  
_

_ Is0bel: I’ll thank you to use my full name, and for the information. I doubt it could’ve been easy to get, especially with the HKPF on the prowl. _

_ nitz&dayz: You’re so lucky I find you hot, or else I wouldn’t have bothered. JK girl. You know I love you!  Anyways, according to my sources there are no real records of Raymond Black before 2032. So unless that codger on the news popped out of his mama as an old coot, like Laozi, he either is, or was once, someone else. _

_ Is0bel: Curiouser and curiouser. Can you send me the files? I want to cross-reference them with what I’ve uncovered on my end.  
_

_ nitz&dayz: Done and done! Mind if I ask what this is for? I know I’m being nosy but this just seems like a giant waste of time to be focused on a dead man. And like Omaechan just said you don’t  _ **_do_ ** _ wastes of time. _

_ Omaechan: I concur Is0bel. This is a bit strange, even for you, and though I know you can handle yourself I cannot help but worry about your safety. _

_ Ary: I’ve seen stranger. _

_ nitz&dayz: Oh have you? Don’t leave us in suspense Ary. Dish! _

_ Ary: Maybe some other time. _

_ nitz&dayz: Aw. You’re no fun. _

_ Is0bel: Thanks for the concern guys but I have my reasons. Just got the files, nitz.  
_

_ nitz&dayz: Happy to help a fellow chummer! _

_ Omaechan: I too have something for you. The book you requested. It has been sent to the usual drop off point. You’re free to pick it up at your leisure. _

_ Is0bel: Thanks Omaechan. You’re a real lifesaver. _

_ Omaechan: You’re most certainly welcome. I was unable to find anything about Saeder-Krupp I’m afraid. Their presence isn’t as big in Hong Kong as it is elsewhere. _

_ Is0bel: What about Swissbank? Did you find any leads there? _

_ Omaechan: Aside from the usual reckless and risky financial powerplays that can potentially jeopardize the future of Hong Kong and it’s many residents? Sorry, nothing. _

_ nitz&dayz: Book? What book? What’s this about? And why the sudden interest in SK? You know better than to mess with the golden wyrm. _

_ Omaechan: It is not up to me to disclose anything; it’s Is0bel’s work and Is0bel’s choice. _

_ Is0bel: None of this has nothing to do with Raymond Black nitz&dayz. Drop it. _

_ nitz&dayz: No fair Is0bel! Don’t keep this from me. I gave you my info. And you don’t know what I had to go through in order for you to get it. Least you can do is tell me about a book. _

_ Ary: No pressure or anything but he isn’t likely to drop this Is0bel.  
_

_ Is0bel: I know. _

_ nitz&dayz: Is0bel tell me please! Don’t leave me hanging like this! _

_ Ary: See? What’d I tell you? _

_ Is0bel: Alright! It’s a book on magic, specifically on magical theory for those who don’t know how to use magic. And before you ask I wanted a paperbound copy. If I wanted an electronic book I wouldn’t have asked and have gotten it myself. _

_ nitz&dayz: Paper book? For you? You practically  _ **_live_ ** _ in the matrix. Why would you pick up a book?  
_

_ Is0bel: It’s for a friend. _

_ nitz&dayz: Who is he? I’ll bet it’s a he. Or a she, I’m not judging.  
_

_ Is0bel:  _ **_He_ ** _ is just someone I work with and who wants to know more about magic, for reasons I don’t feel like getting with you right now. I told him that I’d find him something and I know Omaechan’s got great connections.   
_

_ Omaechan: And I was happy to be of service. _

_ Is0bel: We’re not together if that’s what you’re implying, so I’ll thank you to keep whatever sick thoughts you’ve got to yourself. _

_ nitz&dayz: You are no fun. You really need to get out more. _

_ Is0bel: I’m sorry that being an adult is keeping me from being the life of the party, but I’ve got to put food on the table.  
_

_ nitz&dayz: You wound me! And don’t think I forgot about SK. _

_ Is0bel: I didn’t forget, because I’m not telling you.  
_

_ Is0bel: Oh and Ary. I haven’t forgotten about you. I’ll be sure to send you the updated reports on the Walled City. Just to let you know not a lot’s changed, so don’t expect much.  
_

_ Ary: It’s better to get a first hand account than some manufactured drek from a bogus report done by someone who’d never been there. _

_ nitz&dayz: What’s this? Now you’re giving something to Ary? Why? What’s this about the Walled City? Is there something I want to know. _ _  
_

_ Is0bel: You’re always welcome to do some digging yourself nitz. _

_ nitz&dayz: Good looking out chummer but no. I’d rather not risk my handsome self by going there. I’ve heard too many stories about that place, each worse than the last.  
_

_ Is0bel: I can tell you that it’s worse than in the stories. _

_ nitz&dayz: Yeah I’ve heard  _ **_nothing_ ** _ but bad things about the Walled City. And not just from the folks who’d been there. Parents  having to sell their children to organgrinders just to afford the rent. There’s been rumors of terrible nightmares on the themes of teeth, and monsters with far too many. Serving something called a Yama King coming after their teeth. And what’s worse, it seems like the nightmares are spreading to people outside Kowloon. I need my beauty rest. So no thx! _

_ Is0bel: That may be the smartest thing I’ve ever heard you say. And did you say Yama Kings? _

_ nitz&dayz: Reasonably sure. It’s one of the common threads that pop up, along with the nightmares and Kowloon. Also, I heard what you said and I’m not sure if you meant that to be an insult but I’ll take our history into account and take it as a compliment. _

_ Ary: Something wrong Is0bel? _

_ Is0bel: It’s nothing important. It’s just that I may have to make a few more calls when I get off. Cross a few burnt bridges; that’s never fun.  Again thank you Omaechan. nitz&dayz. You’ve both been a big help. And I’ll be sure to send you the info as soon as I log out. _

_ Omaechan: Again you are most certainly welcome Is0bel. Please remember to call me if you need anything else. _

_ nitz&dayz: No prob chummer! Burn that midnight oil. _

_ Ary: Be seeing you! And stay away from the Walled City! _

_ **User: Is0bel has logged out** _

_ nitz&dayz: I’ve been meaning to ask you Ary. Why are you so interested in the Walled City? Why the sudden interest? _

_ Omaechan: I’ve noticed that too. And at the risk of being too forward I would be more than happy to assist you in your research. _

_ Ary: It’s hardly sudden. I’ve always had it on my mind. It’s such a horrible place, with so many people suffering.  
_

_ nitz&dayz: People suffer the world over Ary, not just in Kowloon. _

_ Ary: True but this seems different. I can’t put my finger on it but it feels like someone’s intentionally making it worse than it has to be. _

_ nitz&dayz: Might I direct your attention to any of the many corps that have a foothold in Hong Kong? And who might also benefit off the backs of the desperate and downtrodden? The megas could teach you something about the exploitation of the proletariat. Or better yet allow me to direct you to our Executive Council; some of the biggest leeches in the world today! _

_ Ary: I get it nitz&dayz. The world sucks. But it doesn’t have to though. Some of us want to make it a better place. And if that’s all you have to say then I’m done here. _

_ nitz&dayz: Wait! Wait a minute Ary. I’m sorry. It’s just been a long day. Talking about things like that always drag me down. Sorry for taking it out on you. _

_ Ary: You’re forgiven. I know it’s not the easiest subject to talk about. You’re fine. Same time next week you two? _

_ nitz&dayz: For sure! _

_ Omaechan: I will be waiting to hear from you. Take care. _

_ Ary: Thank you! Bye :) _

_ **User: Ary has logged out** _

_ nitz&dayz: That was odd. She doesn’t normally just drop off like that. _

_ Omaechan: It is quite likely that she’s quite busy. You know how she passionate she is about her causes. _

_ nitz&dayz: Yeah but that doesn’t mean she couldn’t take it easy every now and then. A little break might do her a world of good. _

_ Omaechan: You mean like you do? _

_ nitz&dayz: Just what are you insinuating, chummer? I’ll have you know I work as hard as I play, if not harder. Can’t be partying all the time. _

_ Omaechan: My mistake.  
_

_ nitz&dayz: Yeah, sure. And on that note I’d better leave. Gotta package I wanna start playing with. _

_ Omaechan: I had better log out too. Take care nitz&dayz. I hope your evening finds you well. _

_ nitz&dayz: You too Omae. Be seeing you! _

_ **User:Omaechan has logged out** _

_ **User: nitz&dayz has logged out** _

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	16. Model Citizens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Conflicting agendas can be resolved through proper communication.   
> And guns; lots of guns.

_ “Won’t you reconsider?” _

_ “Reconsider what? Whether or not I want to deal with an unstable roommate? Whether I want to be endlessly berated for what I chose to do and wear? Or maybe I can wait until the next mission; maybe he’ll run out of stuff to bitch about and immediately find some more drek.” _

_ “He hasn’t always been like this. He’s lost everything he had, everything he worked so hard for. On the streets we had nothing; it makes you do any stupid drek that seems to make it better. And you can’t blame him for the nightmares, we all have them, even you. Screaming in the dead of night doesn’t make for a good roommate, Blink.” _

_ “All the better that I’m leaving, no?” _

_ “It seems I can’t change your mind, can I?” _

_ “Afraid not.” _

_ “Alright. I won’t press you, just… if you happen to hear anything about Raymond, anything at all, will you let us know?” _

_ “Fine. I suppose I owe you that much, though it’ll be hard with him being dead and all.” _

_ “Raymond’s not dead!” _

_ “Yes, yes, Duncan’s made that abundantly clear. Don’t expect any miracles on my end. I have problems of my own, you know…” _

_ “Any help would be appreciated.” _

_ “I bet. But wouldn’t it be better to look into the APB itself? And possibly getting your SINs back?” _

_ “I suspect they’re connected and besides… we’re working with Kindly on that.” _

_ “Words cannot describe how much I don’t envy your reliance on that woman.” _

_ “She’s… not my first choice, to be sure, but she’s kept us safe. And gainfully employed.” _

_ “That she has. I’ve got to go. Take care Kris.” _

_ “You too. And Blink…?” _

_ “Yeah.” _

_ “I’m sorry. For everything.” _

_ “...It’s not your place to apologize Kris, but thanks all the same.”   
_

*click*.

______  
_

The call was replaying in Kris’s mind non-stop. Duncan hadn’t been the same in the weeks since Blink left; he was convinced it was his fault (which it was). He’d barricaded himself in his room, and apart from meals, didn’t make himself known. Except to get a book from Is0bel on hermetic magic, which came as a shock to Kris. She didn’t know those two were close.   


“Your brother will be fine Kris.” Gaichu stood beside her, dull eyes somehow staring into hers.

“Was I that obvious?”

“Being a ghoul does have it’s advantages. For instance, I can hear your posture shifting very slightly when you’re upset. Your breaths come and go in sharp intervals, suggesting a heavy heart. And it doesn’t take much to determine who it’s about when I can vividly remember you leaving your brother to Gobbet, back on the ship. Were I still human, I might not have been able to pick up on that. You don’t leave a lot of openings in the way you carry yourself.”

“Do you think he’ll be alright?”

A simple shrug of the shoulders. “One cannot know for sure, but as his sister is worrying it does not paint a pretty picture for the rest of us to consider. Still, maybe some of her good cheer will rub off on him.”

“I suppose that’s all I can hope for at this point. Though she isn’t the only one in high spirits tonight.”

Racter looked considerably more animated than was usual, sitting next to Gaichu. There was an eagerness that hadn’t been there before. A restlessness that seemed foreign to the composed Russian. The dark, hungry look in his eyes, as his hand absently stroking Koschei’s slick chassis… he was prepared for war. Which, were Kris to be completely honest, was more on the nose than she’d like to admit.

Running against a megacorp was never something to be taken lightly, especially one that saw itself as a sort of military. They’d been hired to find a prototype laser on the twenty-seventh floor, and dump its tracking device in the territory of the Red Dragon Triad. Kicking off a war between Ares and the Yellow Lotus’ enemies that would have Kindly cackling into one of her vile shot glasses.   


As it turned out, Racter had some business in there as well. Personal business, with a couple of researchers who’d stolen his life’s work and fled the country. Kris wouldn’t have condoned revenge on a mission under normal conditions and just left his ass behind. He lucked out that Ares specialized in drones, particularly combat drones. And with Duncan’s mind not being where it needs to be right now and Gobbet not being all that good with machines, Kris’s hands were tied.

He turned to her with a wide grin. “Do not worry Point Blank. Retrieving the laser is still the primary objective.”

Had he been reading her mind? Or was she wearing her worries on her face again? “So long as you know that, I have no problems with the retrieval of your work.” She assured him.

His eyes shimmered at her like oil. “Thank you, my friend. It does my heart good to hear that.”

“Just a warning; we might have a problem getting in. I'm not terribly familiar with corporate lingo and Blink’s not here, so it might be touch-and-go for a while.”

Racter chuckled. “Is that all? Leave reception to me. I might not have Blink’s connections or practice but one corporation’s reception is no different from another's, and I have not forgotten how to handle the front desk.” He made to check his sidearm, just in case. Koschei scurried around his legs, red eyes whirling fiercely. Racter glanced down at the little drone and it calmed down a bit.   


_ Maybe he does have everything under control.  _ Kris thought, as she directed the others to double check their weapons, before heading in,  _ only one way to find out. _

And that he did; the receptionist had barely greeted them before Racter was upon her. Every part the overworked corporate suit, making demands of the help without even looking at her. He even explained Gaichu’s presence, which had clearly been almost unsettling enough for her to speak up.

“A research specimen for my clinical trials, which you'd know if you'd been paying attention as you are paid to do.” was what he fired at the increasingly harried secretary, “but I suppose it can't be helped; like us, it seems. Do be a dear and give me a reason not to report you.”

He wasn't able to get them to the twenty-seventh floor,  but the first floor was quite enough for them to work with. With a terse ‘thank you’ to the frazzled wageslave, Racter took off, leading Kris and the others further into the building.

“You weren't kidding when you said you knew how to handle that,” Kris said quietly.

“Did you doubt me?” Racter's tone was tinged with amusement, a far cry from the enigmatic rigger who lived in their basement.

“Not you; the whole Run’s got me on edge. I’m legitimately impressed you got Gaichu in.”

“Permit me to offer my thanks as well.” Gaichu whispered.

Racter smirked. “I couldn’t let anything happen to my roommate could I?”

“On that subject,” Gaichu turned from Racter to Point Blank, ”Has Gunshow still not left his room?”

“No.” She sighed. “Gobbet said that she'd watch him while we're gone but…” she played with her commlink in her hands, obviously fretting about whether or not to make the call. As they talked, Is0bel had been plugged the spoofed I.D. into a terminal, and was in the process of updating it.

“...you would much rather it be you there. You cannot be in two places at once, Point Blank, physically mentally or emotionally. You can only deal with what's in front of you. Or else you run the risk of losing sight of something, that just might get you painfully killed.”

Kris chuckled at that. “Oh yeah? You know something about that?”

“As an only child, I do not have the experience you do with Gunshow, but as a former megacorp wageslave I can tell you that it is significantly harder to update the credentials on a spoofed I.D. than it is on a genuine one.”

It was as if time stopped, for one moment. Is0bel paused in the process of updating, the screen showing a revolving cursor. Racter stood with a half-smile frozen onto his face. Even the gears in Koschei had stopped, if only momentarily.

He pointed to an open area behind Kris. “There's an employee washroom right behind you. And I believe a disgruntled wageslave has just headed inside. He should be easy enough to convince to part with his I.D., considering your audible mastery and persuasive tongue.”

Kris laughed a bit, her voice returning. “Be right back.”

There was something about the man that reminded her of Blink, though she couldn’t put her finger on it. His suit or his aftershave? Strange. And though she got the keycard easily enough ( _ it just cost me a hundred creds I don’t have)  _ she couldn’t shake the mage, and her brother’s not-at-all-subtle attraction to said mage, from her mind.   


Her commlink went off just as she was leaving the break room. It was Gobbet.

_ “Hey, hey. How’s the mission coming along?” _

Kris quickly ducked into another room for privacy. _ “It’s going smoothly so far,”  _ she said softly, looking over her shoulder,  _ “We got in without any problems and Is0bel’s working on getting us upstairs.” _

_ “Yeah she’s really good at that. Though I still wish I’d been able to come. To keep you close and run my arms down your pale smooth skin. You remember what my touch feels like, right? How I know all the right buttons to press, to get you moist?” _

_ “S-stop!”  _ Kris could feel herself growing hotter with each word.  _ “I’m on a mission right now. Save it for later.” _

She heard Gobbet huff over the comm. _ “Alright. Oh yeah I got finally got Duncan out of his room! I promised to take him to a little training range just on the outskirts of Kowloon. It’s run by the Yellow Lotus so no worries about any badges ruining the fun. Figured he needed the chance to blow off some steam.” _

Kris clutched her forehead and sighed.  _ “That’s great but why couldn’t you have just led with that?” _ She growled.

_ “I wanted to get you all moist first. Something to remember me by when you’re on the job.” _ Kris could almost  _ hear  _ the shrug in Gobbet’s voice.

_ “So if I get distracted by my raging desire for you and get geeked, I’ll have you to thank for it?” _

_ “Think of it as going with a big bang. The perfect gift!”  _ Kris recognized her brother’s voice in the background, gruff and on edge, calling out to Gobbet. She sighed. At least he was getting out.  _ “Damn girl forgot about the stick up your brother’s butt. Blink needs to come back and help him pull it out.” _

Kris chuckled.  _ “Don’t let Duncan hear you saying that.” _

“ _ Don’t worry I know better than to bring up ‘the one that got away’. Damn but he’s ornery! I’d better go. Don’t go getting yourself killed.” _

_ “I won’t. You take care now. Love you.” _

_ “Right back at you Seattle.” _

She quickly slid her commlink away and moved back to her group, waving and smiling as innocently as possible. Just because Ares was friendly to the shadows didn’t mean that it was smart to rock the boat. “Hey quick question.” She started, as she handed the employee’s I.D. to Is0bel to spoof. “I just got off with Gobbet-”

“Really? I couldn’t tell.” Gaichu chuckled, turned to her and tapped his nose.

_ Damn that ghoul’s sense of smell.-  _ “...And I know this might seem out of left-field but did any of you notice that my brother might have had a… thing for Blink?”

Everyone turned to look at her like she’d asked if devil rats were safe to use as pets. Even Is0bel pulled away from her work to stare at her.

“What? No! Really? Whatever gave you that idea? I mean who doesn’t gaze longingly at complete strangers?”

“Gunshow had a crush on someone? Goodness! And here I thought his elevated heart rate and shallow breathing were symptomatic of something else entirely!”

“I don’t think it necessary to say more than that Point Blank.” Is0bel quipped as she handed the spoofed keycard to her leader. “It was just far too obvious. But I’ll be sure to let Gobbet know of this startling revelation. I’m sure she’ll know what to do with it.”

Kris rolled her eyes. “Har har. Let’s put it on hold for now and get to the top floor. The sooner we can finish this mission the better.”

Immediately rising out of the cheap chairs that filled the rooms Racter turned to kris. “Indeed. Let us make haste.” He said, as he motioned to Koschei, “I am most anxious to get back my life’s work. And to finish the mission of course.”

_____

_ “It might be a little late for this but I’m starting to regret bringing Duncan here. He’s so damn good with that gun, it’s like I didn’t even need to bring him.” _ They’d made it to the twenty-seventh floor easily enough, where there were locked doors, secured computers, and enough ominous silence that Point Blank had taken another call from Gobbet as she kept one eye on her team.

_ “He had to get out sometime, and I’m glad it was with you. This way he can at least -- one second… _ Gaichu, help Racter focus on finding a way into Hardingman’s office. Use the password you found on Taylor’s computer.” Kris figured Gaichu’s enhanced senses enough to guard Racter while he searched for his prototype.   


_ “Everything alright over there?” _

_ “Just leader stuff. Nothing to worry your pretty little head over. Now what’s this about Duncan - _ \- good work Is0bel! Racter and Gaichu found a safe they think has Racter’s prototype but they can’t crack it. Go see if you can do anything about it.”

_ “Your brother’s hounding me for information about magic.” _ Gobbet continued over the commlink.  _ “Apparently he breezed through that book Is0bel got for him. He’s asking all sorts of questions, like how different Hong Kong’s magic is from Seattle’s and what would I be able to do over there that I can’t over here and vice versa. I don’t want to jump to any conclusions but I don’t think it has anything to do with either of us, if you catch my drift. He’s on full-on tyrant mode; ‘focus on the target’, ‘keep a firm grip on your gun’. ‘Just because you can ‘spray-and-pray doesn’t mean you should’. ‘You won’t always have magic to rely on, so don’t cast spells that can be easily dispelled;. There’s no pleasing him.” _

_ “Try growing up with that.” _ Kris said with an eye roll.  _ “But at least it sounds like he’s putting to practice what he’s learned. As for the rest well let me just say that I had it coming and going from both him and Raymond. For years. And that’s when they weren’t at each other’s throats. I’ve dealt with chemicals less volatile than whatever might happen if they’re put in a room together.” _

_ “So if he’s that bad why’re you so hung up on finding this guy?” _

That gave Kris pause.  _ “Because he’s my father?” _ She said incredulously.  _ “The man who took me off the streets and gave me and my brother a home? A few arguments and some yelling don’t automatically make for a shitty home.” _

_ “Right right. Sorry Seattle, wasn’t thinking.” _

_ “Don’t worry about it. Forget it.” _

_ “Oh you’re so sweet _ \- I’m talking with Kris, Duncan! Give me a minute! -  _ Seattle I gotta go. I can see the veins in your brother’s forehead popping from over here on the other side of the room.” _

_ “Yeah he’ll be a hard case for a while there. I do not envy you right now. But I know you’ll find a way to at least have a little bit of fun.” _

_ “You bet your sweet candy ass I _ \- yes Rat? Huh? Gotcha, I’ll let her know -  _ Rat said the key to the safe is in the locker room on the other side of the double doors down the hall from you, but there are guards that’ll block your way, so you’ll have to close the shutters from inside the lab you’re in so they don’t see you go in. Oh, and to stay away from the doors as they’ll slam shut when you do all that.” _

Kris did not expect that.  _ “That’s… that’s very helpful. Thank you. And be sure to thank Rat for me too.” _

_ “I’ll be sure to do that. Laters Seattle. Love you.” _

_ “Love you too Gobbet.” _

_ *Click* _

Gaichu and Racter chose that moment to come rushing inside, the latter looking more displeased than Kris had ever seen. “I take it you were unsuccessful in getting a key?”

“I am afraid not. There was a lot of useless information on Hardingman’s terminal and even more on Taylor’s.” He turned to glance at Is0bel as she stepped through the doors towards the group, but didn’t stop talking. “Apparently we need a key to open the safe. There’s a locker room-”

“-Past the double doors on the other end of the hallway where we can get the key from?”

Racter looked at her, eyebrows raised. Impressed. Gaichu turned to look at her too, looking equally impressed.   


“Yes,” Gaichu followed up on, sounding as impressed as Racter looked, “But we’re not alone on this floor. I can sense several guards down that way. If we don’t want to tip them off we’ll have to-”

“Turn on the shutters so they can’t see us going through.” She turned from the flummoxed ghoul to Racter. “Go close the shutters but be sure to pull Koschei out of the doorway; the doors will slam shut just as the shutters do.”

Racter took off with a nod, Is0bel coming up to Kris just as he headed towards the wall.   


“Rat?” She asked knowingly.

Kris chuckled. “I take it you’ve come across this before. It is always so awkward?”

“Yeah but you’ll get used to it.” Is0bel shrugged her shoulders with a lop-sided grin. “It tends to help on missions. Luckily Rat isn’t as vague with Gobbet as I’d heard other totems were with their shamans.”

“I did not know that totems paid that much attention to their shaman’s mates.” Gaichu said, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

_ Mate!? Is that what they think we are?  _ “Did you not have any shamans in the Red Samurai, Gaichu?”  _ I mean it’s true but I didn’t think it was obvious. Then again Gobbet doesn’t know squat about being subtle. _

“Not so many; never more than one magic user per squad. The shaman in my former squad was a miko, a priestess, before joining the red samurai.”

“She sounds like quite a warrior.” Kris nodded approvingly.   


Gaichu smiled a little smile. “Yes she was. Proud and fierce, determined not to let anyone, even her own family, decide her fate.”

His bitter rasp trailed off towards the end and Kris could tell that he was caught up in a memory of what used to be and what had led to now. Meaning was rare and precious in the shadows; it didn’t seem appropriate to pull him out of his stroll down memory lane.

“You should feel proud, Point Blank.” Is0bel said suddenly.

Kris cocked an eyebrow at the small decker. “Why? What do you mean?”

“Rat doesn’t generally offer assistance to anyone but Gobbet. I didn’t get help until we’d been running together for years. Apparently Rat approves of you. And your relationship with Gobbet.”

Kris stood dumbfounded as the lights flickered off, and the doors slammed shut. She muttered ‘oh’ and then the lights turned back on.   


“You will be sure to give Rat my thanks Point Blank,” Racter asked, as he came back to the group, Koschei chittering behind him, “I...  _ shudder  _ to think about that would’ve happened if he’d been there when the door slammed shut.”

“You are just so full of jokes. Now come on and let’s get that laser. Hopefully that’ll be the end of tonight’s surprises and we’ll be able to get through this without anything else happening.”

_____

Kris made a mental note to talk to Gobbet about Rat. If she ever got back.

“They’re trying to gas us out! Racter, get Koschei in there and close the vents. Gaichu, cover Racter!”

It’d been as Rat said. The locker room down the hall not only had the key to the safe, but the laser they’d been looking for as well. Someone who’d put it there had messed up very badly. It’d gone smooth until they’d run into another team of shadowrunners, one who was - _ surprise surprise-  _ running the same run as they were. Five minutes later the alarms are blaring and they had Knight Errant on their asses.   


Three squads of seven high-spec guards, including a couple of war mages and fire spirits, and a few riggers, one with a  _ very  _ tenacious drone that Kris’d managed to take out before it got into the guard station Is0bel had used to hack into the building’s Matrix. The throwing knives she’d gotten at Gaichu’s insistence were a big help in knocking the robotic  _ gnat  _ out of the air. If only it were so easy to deal with Knight Errant… their bullets hit just a little too close to her spot behind the doorway for comfort.

Racter slid behind a sofa in the breakroom just outside of the guard’s station they’d closed the shutters to. “I’m on it Point Blank!” She could the little drone scurrying through the ventilation shafts to stem the flow of gas, which Knight Errant were willing to throw at them because  _ of course they would! _

The ghoul was out in front, drawing enemy fire. “Understood!” From her place in the guard room’s doorway Kris had as good a vantage point as possible under a slew of gunfire. Gaichu didn’t move far from Racter but then he didn’t have to. She watched his blade remove a guard’s gun and forearms in one upwards flick, then slash across to take off a head. He moved with an easy grace, drawing the bullets meant for the rigger to his swift and fleeting figure, where they ricocheted off bright red armor.   


“Bull, I’m pinned down. Can you and your people to handle the guards!?” Bull was one of the other Runners, an ork decker of no small renown.   


The ork pulled out of cover behind the loveseat next to Racter’s sofa, long enough to pop a guard. “It’s what we’ve been doing since we got here. No worries, I mean it’s only Knight Errant! Nobody major!”

More gunfire by Kris’s door. “Well I can’t just leave Is0bel while she’s wired in! We need to get those vents closed ASAP!”

“I know, I k-” Kris’s commlink cut him off. “Oh you cannot be serious,  _ now!?” _   


A few quick button presses and Kris had the commlink open.  _ “Gobbet, this really isn’t the best time-!” _

_ “Blink’s here and Duncan’s off.” _

Kris felt her throat lurch.  _ “What!?” _

_ “Blink’s here at the range,” _ Gobbet continued,  _ “Apparently Kindly told him about it and he’s here to get some training. Duncan took one look at him, put his gun away, and now he’s hovering over him like a very dedicated drone.” _

_ “Son of a bitch!!” _ Kris punched the doorframe.   


_ “I know. I’ve been trying to get his attention for a while now. Blink hasn’t done anything about it.” _

Kris pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed.  _ “This is David all over again.” _

_ “Who’s David?” _

_ “Don’t worry about it right now.” _ She peeked outside; more guards. Racter and Gaichu looked okay, as did Bull and his people. If only there was some way to check on Is0bel’s progress.  _ “How’s Blink? He’s not mad or anything right?” _

_ “Nah. Blink’s been real chilled about it, still doesn’t want to come back. Not that I blame him.” _

Kris did a quick peek and flick, embedding two knives in the neck of a guard that had been making for Gaichu. She stayed out of cover just long enough to see him go down before popping right back in. “ _ I don’t blame him either,”  _ Kris muttered under her breath.

_ “It’s not all bad news.” _ Gobbet continued,  _ “I mean I think it isn’t, but their relationship, if it is one, is so messed-up that-” _

More gunfire, keyed in to her. Things were heating up. “ _ Gobbet, sweetie, I’m kinda in the middle of something. Can you just give me the abridged version?” _

_ “Blink’s here and Duncan’s won’t leave him alone - update, he’s giving Blink lessons on using a gun. And Blink’s listening? Huh.” _

_ “That’s better than I could have hoped for. Stay with them, Gobbet. I’ll talk to you when I get back home.” _

_ “Wait, Kris! Are you okay? Because it sounds like-” _

_ “Goodbye Gobbet!” _ She then hung up.

_ Sorry Gobbet,  _ she mused, as she put away her remaining knives and dashed out the door. pulled out her gun and moved to exit the room, _ but I gotta take care of this first. _

She slid behind the sofa in the small breakroom in front of the guard’s station and peeked over the top. The ork runner Bull and his crew had proven to be surprisingly formidable, leaving the squad that had first come for them dead around the breakroom already.

Racter hovered off to the side by a vent that Koschei had entered, and worked to stem the flow of gas, Gaichu in front of him, looking the part of the immovable samurai. There was a whirring noise in the vents. The gas was thinning. Kris sighed in relief; Is0bel and Racter were successful.

“Everyone alright?” She called.   


Racter waited for Koschei to come out of the vent before answering. “We’re good,” he said, as he watched the spidery drone scamper out of the ducts.   


“As am I.” Gaichu said, as he sheathed his katana. It was then that Kris noticed the bodies that surrounded him, the blood that dripped from the hilt of his blade. His armor was redder than Renraku’s artisans had made it, though his stance remained steady. _   
_

Behind her Is0bel stepped out of the doorway, having jacked out of the matrix. “Good.” she said, as she watched the dwarf come to her. “Bull, how’re your people?”

“We’re fine; a bit roughed up but good.” The other runners looked none the worse for wear. He turned to Gaichu with an expression of hushed awe. “You’re not bad ghoul.”

“Yeah I’ll say.” said the man named Jarl. “I’ll admit that when I first saw you I thought you’d flinched that armor off of an actual red samurai; that or it was just an imposing replica. Glad to see it wasn’t the case.”

“Thank you for the kind words,” Gaichu replied humbly, bowing slightly to the other runners. “Point Blank.” He then turned to Kris. “The gas and the guards have both been taken care of but I can hear others coming. Might I suggest we get what we came here for and make our escape?”

“Good idea. What about you Bull?”

“You won’t hear any objections from us!” He pointed to the box holding the laser. “We just need the laser.”

“We can talk more about it when we get somewhere safe.” Kris turned to Is0bel, “Do you know where we can go? The way we came in is right out.”

The decker flipped out her commlink and pulled up a schematic Kris knew to belong to the building.  _ When she’d get that?  _ “There’s elevators on the other side of the building that go straight to the basement.”

“But the elevators are locked down after that last fight. There isn’t another way?”

“No there isn’t, especially with Ares on high alert. They might be friendly to the Shadows but that doesn’t apply to those that rob them, and we all know how Knight Errant deals with things.”

“You’re right. But first things first, we have to go get something out of the main lab.” Racter’s cold eyes gleamed with what she hoped was gratitude. “Meet us at the elevator.”

With a nod he took off for the lab, just as Kris directed her crew to the elevator, with Bull pulling his crew along. Along the way they conversed freely with Gaichu; it seemed he was an oddity to more than just her crew.

“You really got yourselves an awesome ghoul.” That first bit was directed at Kris. “Where’d you find him?”

“I first met Point Blank and her crew in Whampoa.” Evidently Gaichu had decided to speak for himself.

“Whoa chummer. I didn’t mean any offence. It’s ain’t everyday you see a ghoul running around in red samurai armor.”

“The armor is mine. I am, or should say was, of the red samurai until recently.”

“I saw what you did to those guys back there; I believe you. But why go rogue? Doesn’t Renkaku have some sort of program for ghouls? Or some secret vial to keep you from turning into a one? It can’t have been all that long ago and Renkaku’s got some mad connections.”

Bull turned to his friend and smirked. “C’mon Jarl. You know those Japancorps got no love for anything that doesn’t fit their mold of the model japanese citizen. I mean look at Yomi Island, for Pete’s sake!”

“Yeah, guess so. Sorry, Mr…?”

“Gaichu. Just Gaichu. And you are right, Renkaku wasn’t terribly pleased about my… transformation.” There was a slight pause that Kris quickly picked up on.

“That’s not surprising. And I won’t pry any further. Here in the Shadows we try to keep to our own. Don’t worry, you’ll likely find a lot more friends here than you might think.”

For the first time since she’d seen him there was hesitation in his stance. “I… thank you. That means a lot to me.”   


_ Yeah I’ll bet. _ Kris thought, _ I should have a chat with him about Renraku when this is over.  _

_____  


“Are you sure I can’t change your mind Gaichu?” They’d been like this ever since they got back. Racter had disappeared into his workshop as soon as he got back; no doubt wanting to incorporate his work into Koschei. She’d no doubt that he’d be willing to show off his work to her, and while she didn’t know what it specifically entailed she was more than happy to see it.   


Is0bel had disappeared to look for Gobbet and Kris; Kris’d told her about the calls while they took the tram back to Hoei. The dwarven decker had made her displeasure at their giving away the laser known throughout the tram ride, though she recognized the wisdom of maintaining what little honor remained in the Shadows. Mostly she was worried about Kindly… a not invalid concern. But what’s done was done.

“Yes, Kris. I am. And it is nothing so serious as what your tone is implying; I simply do not wish to burden you with unnecessary concerns.”

“If there’s something that’s affecting any member of my crew then that’s a concern for me.”

“I.. appreciate your kindness. And know that if I do ever need your assistance, I will come get you.”

“That’s… all I can ask for.”

“If that’s all then I will take my leave of you. Besides it looks like you’ve got company…”

“Kris!!” The spry adept saw her vision blur, shift and then coalesce into the face of the vivacious ork shaman who’d captured her heart as easily as she captured her face and lips.   


Gobbet pulled out of the kiss and stared straight into her eyes. “Did you miss me?” Out of the corner of her eye Gaichu smirked at Kris and loped downstairs, closing the hatch behind him. “You look like you did. Want I should take you back to my room for some,” she wiggled her eyebrows, “TLC?”

Kris pushed on her, running her fingers along her wiry frame. “Maybe later.” Memories of their last call came unbidden to her mind, bringing her mood down even more. She had to apologize. “Listen about earlier, I was under a lot of stress and I didn’t mean to blow you off. It’s just-”

Gobbet cut her off with another kiss, quick and supple with only a flash of tongue. “Don’t fret Seattle. I know you had a lot to deal with.”

“You do?” The words left Kris’s mouth before she’d even thought.

“Being a leader ain’t easy, plus you’ve got that APB hanging over your head. I’m just happy to do my part to ease your stress a little.”

Kris sighed, a faint smile on her face. She so wanted to just sink into the arms of her orkish lover, to have her take her off to the land of infinite delights… but there was just so much to be done. She couldn’t just abandon her responsibilities, no matter how much it hurt to do so. And Gobbet, sweet, sweet Gobbet, didn’t really care for that. She just wanted her to be happy. It was… sweet, if not irresponsible.

“Thanks Gobbet,” she said, as she patted Gobbet on the head, “I know I can always count on you.”

Gobbet beamed, fangs upon fangs glistening in the fluorescent lighting of the Bolthole. “You know you can. That’s why I - wait hold on. Rat’s talking to me.” She pulled away from Kris and went down the hall towards her room. “What do you mean she doesn’t get it? I literally spelled it out for her.”

Duncan chose that particular moment to peek out of his room and, seeing Gobbet run on by, ran up to his sister. “Kris, we got to talk!”

“If this is about Blink then drop it. You know he doesn’t want to be here.”

“This isn’t about him, not exactly. It’s about what Strangler Bao told him.”

Kris’s ears perked up. “Strangler Bao? What’s he want? He didn’t cause you any trouble did he?”

Duncan waved off her concern. “Not us, just Blink. Apparently Kindly had been looking into the ship Blink came in on, you know the one that sank, and they found a lead. It’s in some ratty outskirt of Kowloon.”

Kris clutched her head and sighed.  _ I so do not need this right now.  _ “Duncan that’s between Saeder-Krupp and the Yellow Lotus. It’s got nothing to do with us.”

“I know that! But Blink’s got no one to go with.” His feet started to fidget. “And I figured that he could use some support, especially since he can’t get any from his own people.”

“Duncan,” Kris sighed, “Blink’s gone. If you think that this’ll bring him back then-”

“THIS ISN’T ABOUT THAT!”

Kris turned to look him dead in the eye. “Then what is this about Duncan?” she said, holding his gaze with her harder glare, “What’s so damn important that you want to bother him more than you already have.”

There was only a slight hesitation in Duncan’s response, far less than she’d have thought he’d have after her outburst. “ _ We. owe. Him. _ ” he hissed, emphasizing each word, “He’s done so much for us, getting us equipment and helping us on our runs. You haven’t forgotten all the extra money you made since he got here.” He slowed down, the frustration fading, an odd melancholy crossing his face. “We’d have never gotten as much nuyen out of that museum without his help. Now I… I know that I’ve been…” he visibly struggled to find the right words, “a fragging mess, since Carter died and Raymond was taken, but at least… let me make it up to him. Even if it’s only this.” His eyes shimmered with pleading.

Kris stared into his face for a good while, not knowing what to say. On one hand she felt that Blink had taken more of her brother than she’d have liked; it certainly wasn’t all bad that he was gone. On the other hand… he had helped them out with some great equipment. And she could feel how set on this her brother was.   


Kris sighed.  _ Duncan’s right.  _ “Alright. I’ll have a talk with him.” She waved a finger at her bigger but younger brother. “No promises; if he says no then we respect his decision. As you said we owe him that much. Understand?”

Duncan let out a rare smile. “Thanks Kris.” He then hugged  _ -hugged!- _ her and stepped around her for the door, which he stepped out.  _ He must’ve been hungry; he was always wierd before getting some food. _

Kris took out her commlink and stared at it, pondering her next course of action. She had no way of knowing how Blink would react, though she doubted he’d take action against them; he didn’t seem the sort to do that. Though in truth she wouldn’t blame him for saying no; Duncan  _ had  _ been a terrible roommate, nightmares notwithstanding. And he never gave him a moment’s break, demanded to know what he was doing at all hours of the day. Getting angry and upset over every argument they’d had...    


In hindsight, his crush on the smaller mage was devastatingly obvious.

On the other hand… images of Bull and the other runners taking off with the laser and leaving them with only a promise. And how at ease Kris was with that. Trust, in the shadows. Couldn’t she show some trust in her own brother? Couldn’t Blink?

Kris sighed, yet again. Damn she was getting tired. Couldn’t sleep yet; there’s still so much to do.

A flurry of numbers and two rings later:  _ “That was fast. Did I forget something?” _

_ “N-no it’s nothing like that. Listen, Blink, do you have a few minutes? We need to talk... _

 


	17. A Different War Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blink gets a lead on the cargo that'd been taken from his ship before it sank.  
> What he finds there is a whole other mess.

_ “I’ll keep this as brief as I can. I do not want Duncan coming along.” _

_ “Why not? Surely you can use the help.” _

_ “Maybe but I don’t need his help; I can put myself down just fine.” _

_ “And I suppose you can watch your own back? I remember you needing a lot of support.” _

_ “That was then Kris. I’ve been training since then.” _ _   
_

_ “Because there’s a whole lot of training you can do in a month. Benjamin, Duncan’s-” _

_ “-What? Changed? Don’t throw that at me, Point Blank. You know damn well that people don’t really change.” _

_ “I was going to say that he’s trying, which is something you should know. It wasn’t easy starting out for you was it?” _

_ “There’s no way I could forget! But I’m not a runner anymore Kris, not really. This job is my job, as an operative for Saeder Krupp. I’ve got someone higher to report to and people who depend on the choices I make.” _

_ “There are a great many runners who said those words when they first went into the Shadows.” _

_ “This isn’t up for debate Kris.” _

_ “Very well. I’ll play your game. With respect for your new corporate affiliation I’m calling in that favor you brought up during our last call.” _

_ “I don’t recall saying that you had favors to call in Kris. I said that you can call on me when you needed something, not when someone else did.” _

_ “You must’ve been out of the Shadows if you already forgot that calling in favors for others was a big part of the game. Just take Duncan along with you; if it works out then it works out. Either way you’ll have another body on hand for whatever it is you’ll need..” _

_ “Fine. Have Duncan come by the tram station in thirty minutes. But I don’t know what this will prove Kris. This makes no sense.” _

_ “Neither do I, but it’s what Duncan wants.” _

______

“Blink? You with me bud? You looked like you were zoning out.”

When he’d met Duncan at the tram station Blink had given him a brief overview of what he hoped to accomplish. That he’d been there when Strangler Bao gave him the info helped make things easier on him. However, Blink did make sure to leave out anything that might even hint at the true nature of the missing cargo; the less who knew about that the better. And he didn’t know how Duncan would take it; he suspected it wouldn’t be well. So, better for him to remain in the dark.

“Oh. Yeah Duncan, I’m fine. Just thinking about something. Have you uncovered anything new in your search?”

Their search had led them to Yau Tsim Mong, and the crowded tenements therein. A known Triad neighborhood, where affiliations were worn instead of implied like the rest of Hong Kong. While the looks sent their way told him that being affiliated with the Yellow Lotus through Kindly wouldn’t do them any favors, nothing had come of it. Like the rest of Hong Kong Yau Tsim Mong had an unwritten rule about causing waves or making chaos, neither of which were something Blink intended on doing.   


It also helped to be followed around by a hulking mass of muscle whose glances and casual flexing served as a deterrent against violence.   


_ So apparently he’s good for more than just shooting things.   
_

“No one’s talking. Or at least no one who saw anything.” Duncan stared hard at the apartment door he was in front of, as if trying to parcel something in his head. “I’ve seen this before… these people won’t talk. Either something’s got them spooked or they’d been bought out. We won’t find anything here.”   


“Well we  _ are  _ in deep Triad territory; we shouldn’t be surprised people don’t want to talk. They probably don’t want to sell anybody out. We’ll try a few more doors. Maybe there’s someone who hasn’t been bought.”

“We’re Triad too remember? That wouldn’t be the only reason” Duncan grunted, his face a mishmash of distaste and disgust as he spoke words Blink  _ knew  _ he hated. “We’ll keep looking but I wouldn’t get your hopes up.” He suddenly turns sullen and glances awkwardly to his feet, visibly fumbling over his next words. “You’re wearing the flak jacket,” he says finally. “I thought you’d be wearing that suit, since, you know, you seemed so attached to it. And this  _ is  _ a business call?”

Stopping in the middle of the hallway Blink glanced down at his jacket and then back at Duncan with a cocked eyebrow. “Why wouldn’t I wear that? It’s got better protection than the suit,” Blink arily admitted, “Plus it’s a bit more street friendly. Less likely to be seen as, well, a suit. I don’t think these people would be as… accomodating as they’ve been, in that case.” Translation: they’d have been gunned down by anyone  who’d either been personally wronged by the corps or had loved ones hurt by faulty management or products. That meant roughly everyone in the building _. _

“Oh. Right.” Had Duncan really not thought of that? Whenever Blink got involved, Duncan usually paid a lot more attention. This was at odds with his normal focus on what he had a personal stake in, and was probably about to blow up on him. Blink knew it had something to do with his… feelings for him; he’d have to be blind to ignore them. But he really couldn’t think about that right now.

“Hey Duncan,” Blink said, desperately wanting to change the subject onto something that didn’t make his head hurt, “Why don’t I take over the next one? Unlike you I’m not as likely to unintentionally say something that’ll piss someone off.”

Duncan crossed his arms and glowered at the young mage who’d thought to know more than him. “Doubt it. This ain’t a corp Blink, these aren’t people who’ll do whatever simply because you throw something shiny in their faces. They’ve got family and responsibilities. And honor, so don’t think you’ll do better just because you’re corp-born.”

“So they’re typical wageslaves then? Is that what you’re saying?” Blink rejoined with a smile, “Because it sounds like people I’ve had my fair share of experience in dealing with. And I wasn’t born in the corps. You think I’d have survived out here if I’d been  born with a silver spoon in my mouth?”

“What happened? Did life try to give it to you before it up and just decided to punch it down your throat?”

Blink chuckled as his words brought back memories of fresh homelessness and the brutal reality of street living, of diving through dumpsters while hoping for something halfway edible and evading the Star because they’d shoot first and ask questions never. “Something like that. Now step back and let me work.” He thought about elaborating to Duncan just how wrong he was about him but decided against it. There was just too much to do and he could handle a little disrespect. It wasn’t like he was going to see him after this.

“Suit yourself. But they won’t talk to you.”

As it turned out, they did not. Door after door slammed in Blink’s face, oftentimes before he could get a word across. He’d got mage sight on and saw the same yellow haze of fear surrounding the auras of everyone who’d answered the door, along with a bright and leery red haze that flowed from the ones who’d peeked Duncan looming behind him. Their doors closed just a bit harder than the others.   


He thought about calling Kindly on his commlink and asking just where the hell she got the tip but thought better of it; Chicago was still fresh on the minds of damn near the entire planet. If they knew he’d lost an insect spirit egg, something that could turn Hong Kong into another bug city and everyone inside into twisted bug hybrids for whom death was kindness, mercy and  _ necessity _ , he’d have a lot more to worry about. Like the cement shoes Kindly would fit him in before throwing him into Kowloon Bay.

He shuddered as memories of fighting bugs in Seattle came unbidden to his mind. He shook his head and steeled his resolve.   


“This isn’t the only building on the block. Let’s keep looking. We’ll find who’s willing to help us elsewhere.”

He heard Duncan coming up behind him. “Uh-huh.” Smugness radiated from the syllables like waves up a coastline.   


Blink rolled his eyes as he moved towards the elevator, grunting softly. “I mean I shouldn’t be surprised.” Blink pressed for the first floor. Duncan was always so infuriatingly cheerful when he was proven right. “I mean just look at you, standing there all intimidating and looking like you do.”   


“Frightening?” Duncan huffed.  “A good ork like me? Like anybody with a body like mine would be frightening anyone!” He flexed a bicep inches from Blink’s face. “Take it in! That’s pure perfection right there.”

Blink’s eyes lingered, taking in every sinew in the brief moment before he caught himself. Already he was berating himself for bringing Duncan along; something about the guy made it hard to stay mad at him like he should be. And that’s not taking into account how… difficult it was to be this close. Of course he found Duncan attractive physically but that (Or some of his other qualities like loyalty, candor, and skills), wasn’t the point, or anything restricted to Duncan alone. He could find someone who had those same good qualities, especially with the resources he could now draw on. It wasn’t like he’d be betrayed again. Right?

Blink turned away with a snort. “Whatever.” He tilted his head back just enough to see Duncan pull his arm back with a laugh. “I really doubt that’s going to help us.”

“You never know. It just might. There might be some lonely woman who’ll only open up in the arms of a strong man. Or a long lost princess who thinks I’ll be her knight in shining armor. Then you’ll be happy you brought me along.” In the small amount of silence that followed Blink felt a shift in Duncan. “Hey, Blink? Are you still mad at me for how I treated you in Whampoa? Or for the way I kicked you out of your cot and then out of the room for three days?” Blink felt a certain… heft to Duncan’s words, that they were very important, that made him pause for a second.   


“No, I’m fine, now let’s decide where to go next!” Blink growled, pointing to a row of tenements across from them. He’d missed the silence, a flush of anger overtaking him when Duncan spoke of being some woman’s moist fantasy come true that only grew when he tried and failed to understand why he was so mad. “We’ll cover more ground if we split up. You go over there and I’ll-” A hand roughly clasped his shoulder, as he started his descent down the stairwell, and spun him around to face Duncan.   


“I just want to talk,” He snapped in Blink’s face, “Even if you don’t want to. You haven’t found whatever it is you’re looking for anyways so you can at least listen; if only for a minute. It won’t hurt that much. I know I don’t have the right to ask for that much but-”

“Maybe I don’t want to talk.” Blink cut him off by saying, “Maybe I just want to get this done as soon as possible then go back home and forget about all this.”

“Is that how you deal with things you don’t like or can’t handle? You just throw them out of your mind?” A second hand on Blink’s other shoulder. “Just listen.”

Blink’s eyes flickered over to Duncan’s hands on his shoulders and flared. “It’s better than throwing them out of their rooms but we’ve already covered that”

“So you  _ are  _ still mad. I already apologized? What more do you want me to do? Tell me!”

Blink hissed. “You’ve got problems, Duncan. They are many and varied and won’t be solved without a lot of pain and passion. And I am sorry that you have to deal with all that; between your father missing and your life being turned upside down by that APB your life’s turned into a clusterfuck literally overnight.”   


He gently placed a hand on Duncan’s chest and continued. “But you’re not the only one with problems, just the only one who takes it out on everyone around him. And I refuse to be a whipping boy for things beyond either of our control! You’re not the only one whose life took a nosedive in Kowloon Harbor!” He hadn’t meant for that outburst to come out, and didn’t really know where it came from, but he somehow felt better for having said that.

Blink watched Duncan deflate right before his eyes and felt his heart sink back down. “I… don’t have a good explanation for my temper. The best I can explain it is… you make me so angry sometimes without really trying. And I know it’s not your fault...but knowing isn’t enough when I get that mad.” he turned his head and sighed. “I wish I had a better answer for you.” Duncan glanced around the street, his wounded gaze steadily turning to steel. “This street was crowded when we got here. There were people here Blink. ”

Duncan’s voice held a warning tone, and his hands gripped harder on Blink’s shoulders, as if trying to convey something. The streets had indeed been cleared, Blink noticed; it was suddenly barren. The longer he searched the more frightened he became.   


Arguments temporarily forgotten, Blink glanced back at the building they’d come from. “The people were too scared to talk. We should’ve left sooner.” He peered into the astral, suddenly very fearful of the silence in the real world. Flashes of amber and certruse where kids were playing in the streets and the adults were congregating not too far from them flickered and faded right before his eyes. A knot began to form in the pit of his stomach; they weren’t in the building long enough for them to fade so quickly.

“The astral’s been swept clean,” he said, closing out his astral gaze and turning to the ork whose hands had gone to the rifle slung over his shoulder. “The last traces of people faded right before my eyes.”

“Let’s go,” Duncan said, as he took a resolute step forward and nearly pressed into the itinerant mage; an apt signal for the latter to leave.   


Blink nodded and moved briskly. The mage’s eyes flickered left and right, checking the astral for signs he knew he’d never find. He knew the spell that was used to clear out the astral signatures, he’d cast it himself many times before, when his former team needed to make a clean getaway. Or when they needed to set up an ambush like the one he and Duncan were in now.

_ I should’ve known the tip had to be bogus.  _ He ruefully thought to himself as he turned the corner towards the tram station.  _ There’s no way my luck’s that good. _

He glanced back at Duncan running close behind him. Noting for the first time the way he seemed to hover close to him. Would he even be able to find his father if he’d turned into an insect shaman? Or had been consumed by bug spirits?

“Look out!”   


A big hand grabs onto Blink’s shoulder. His world became a blur as something whizzed sharply towards and past him, then an explosion rocked the area behind.   


The ringing faded from his ears. He was aware of being crouched behind a stone walkway pressed tightly into Duncan’s chest.   


_ I hope this doesn’t become a trend. _

“I’m good Duncan. Thanks for that.” Pulling himself away from the overprotective ork - _ who’d admittedly just saved his life-  _ Blink first noticed the crackling of flame and the shifting of debris and didn’t have to turn around to know what’s happened.

“We need to get out of here!”

Duncan stared up the stairwell of the closest building. “We need to get inside.” He charged up the stairs and tried to open the doors. Locked.   


“Damnit, not now!” A couple of shoulder slams saw no change in the door. “They’ve barricaded it from the inside!” Blink’d stepped around to gaze into the astral, trying to catch a glimpse of something,  _ anything.  _ Still nothing. Out of the periphery of his vision, several blurs of light, moved so fast he almost thought he hadn’t seen them.

_ What the- _

A hand on his shoulder brought him out of astral space. “The front door’s a no-go. Whoever or whatever’s got these people scared is doing a damn good job of keeping them in one place. My gut’s screaming at me to book it.”   


Blink swatted the hand away and nodded, just as a hail of bullets rained down around them. Duncan bolted for a nearby alley, with Blink just about keeping up.   


“This whole thing was a set-up,” Duncan roared,“Kindly wanted you out of the way and fed you some bogus info.”

“No! It’s just as likely she was fed weak intel. It happens.”

“Or she deliberately fed you bad intel! Probably from that bastard Tan Jing.”

An explosion on his right forestalled the reproach on Blink’s lips. Out of the ensuing dust cloud charged a large troll in black riot gear. Blink was slammed through the door of a nearby building and hit the floor hard enough to knock all his wind out. He barely heard Duncan call out his name before the noise more gunfire and the footsteps of him running for cover. Away from him. And the troll who had him pinned to the floor.

“This is not how I wanted to meet you again,” the troll rumbled, as he held Blink on the ground with his arms and chest, “But under the circumstances I find that I cannot complain.”

Blink’s struggles in the troll’s ground-bound bearhug ceased as he recognized the troll’s voice. “What the!? Travis!?”   


Blink felt him rumble in his chest. “The one and only. I’m surprised you remember me, what with you not calling me, though some might be a bit more… disappointed than I am.” Blink winced as he felt the arms press tightly into his own.   


Blink’s mind was a whirl of activity; so many questions. More noise outside, more explosions and gunfire. He could only imagine what Duncan was dealing with.  _ Those can wait. First things first…  _ He tried to glance around for a place to  _ blink  _ but Travis’s girth made it hard to look around.   


“Ah ah ah. I know what you’re trying to do,”That was a shock. Travis tilted his body so that Blink’s line of sight stopped at him, “but I’m afraid that I need to have your attention for just a while longer. And to do that I must keep you from getting away from me.” Something exploded somewhere nearby with enough force to rock the foundations of the floor he was pressed to. “Do forgive the paranoia, but being a Shadowrider is not without its dangers and I would be remiss if I didn’t pay attention.”

_ Shadowriders!? Here!?  _ A blanket of images ran through his mind as he struggled to process the information on the floor, each as bad if not worse than the last. “So you finally made inside,” he found himself saying, “I suppose congratulations are in order. I’d give you a pat on the back but my hands are tied. Why don’t you let me up so I can congratulate you properly?” He reached out with a free hand as he spoke and pressed it into the troll’s sides and tried to fry him with some close range lightning. Nothing.

More chuckling from Travis. “If it’s all the same to you I’d just as well remain where we are,” he rumbled, “with you in my arms, unable to make a proper escape, your magic ineffectual against my insulated gear. I can feel the gun pressed against your jacket; didn’t Carter tell you to stop doing that? I see you haven’t changed all that much since we last met. Just as well. It makes bringing you in that much easier.”

“Bringing me in? I thought those charges were dropped!” He tried to fry Travis on another part of his body. Still nothing. “What’s that got to do with anything now?”

“Oh we’re not thinking about that.” He said, as he ignored Blink’s attempts to fry him again, “This is another matter entirely. And while I would be more than happy to illuminate you right now,” Blink howled, cried out at the feeling of Travis’s hug tightening, his incredible strength pressing unforgivingly against Blink’s slender frame. “It’ll be much easier if I just  _ showed _ you what I’m here for. So why don’t you make this easier on yourself,Zip? It’ll be less painless, and I promise to have you looked at when we’re done.”    


Blink looked side to side, frantically turning his head from side to side,  struggling and failing to piece together enough of a picture to  _ blink  _ to, but the big troll still moved to block his view.    


_ Damnit!   
_

Blink’s mind was aflame, he didn’t know what Travis wanted from him and he  _ hated _ that. It was as he was thinking of ways to escape when he remembered something and chuckled. He took hold of Travis’s sides, earning another chuckle. “What did I tell you? It’s no use. You can’t  _ zip  _ somewhere you can’t see. You showed me that all those years ago remember?”

“Oh I remember that,” he called out, as he tried to imagine the hole in the doorframe Travis had made using his body, “And it’s Blink now.”

Blink registered Travis’s shock and then concentrated on the big guy’s body, taking in just enough to turn both of them into energy and  _ zipped  _ off of the ground, built up speed by twirling around and then bolted out of the doorway and back into the alley, turned back into matter just outside. The inertia sent them both flying into the opposite wall, with the larger Travis taking the brunt of the impact.   


Heavy hands slipped off of his body with a grunt. Blink pulled himself away from Travis, panting heavily from the exertion of  _ zipping  _ another person as he stared at the troll’s prone form. “Sorry about that,” he said, between pants. “But I gotta find a friend first. You just wait there for a spell.”

There was another explosion, this time set in the direction he'd seen Duncan run off into. He was slow to move, his side hurt from the bearhug. There was a small consolation that it’d have been worse if he’d come with his suit. With a grunt he set to healing it as he ran.   


_ Wasted magic. I need to keep going.   
_

There was a soreness there when he stopped; there was just too much happening to waste the energy on a more thorough healing, especially with the possible advent of the Shadow Riders here in Hong Kong.   


_ I’d better check that out first. _ He took out his commlink and got the warbled noise of a blocked signal.  _ Drek! They’ve got a jammer.  _ Sliding to a stop just behind a dumpster Blink turned to astrally projecting, focusing on Duncan’s… unique, for lack of a better word, astral signature.   


_ There it is!  _ Not too far from where he was the vibrant array of bright red anger, dark blue discipline, and light grey regret surrounded by the pulsating beat of passion that resonated from a bright core that made up most of what he’d come to know was Duncan, running through a doorway.   


He didn’t look like he had his gun, which was trouble. He looked over his head at something Blink couldn’t make out. A shot glanced off his  head and he went down on one knee. He ducked to the right, the left, and then rolled into a ball and ducked under building. Blink saw Duncan turn and look in his direction, sharp yellow concern laced with sharper grey regret. There was another explosion, this time close to Duncan, that sent him sprawling onto the ground.   


A jolt of panic ran up Blink’s spine as he noticed that he wasn’t moving. But his astral signature didn’t register him as unconscious. The bright gold of a plan rose up before being buried in his other emotions.   


_ Don’t. _

Blink fell out of the astral and allowed the world to come back. He then took off out of cover and to the end of the narrow alleyway,  _ blinking  _ across the street and into the next alley. He didn’t have a location on the gunner, or gunners, and the dilapidated buildings couldn’t have provided much cover but all the same he didn’t want to give them a body to shoot at.

He ran past the ruined alley way, past bullet-ridden walls, half-smoldering dumpsters and giant holes in the ground, and winched at the blood he knew belonged to the metahuman bodyguard who’d gotten caught up in the mage’s own problems.

_ You’d better be okay Gunshow! _

He turned the corner at an interjection towards the area Duncan had gone down in and found nothing. An astral scan saw bits of his aura running off away before fading into nothing.   


Blink took off where he’d seen Duncan go, out of the alley and onto a street, where he saw Duncan lay prone. He took several steps towards it on instinct, noticing that he wasn’t moving, before he looked on enough to see that he had no shadow or made a reflection in the lamp post ‘he’ was laid prone against.

_ Drek! _

The nearby buildings came alive. Glass flew as shots were fired out of closed windows, doors reduced to paste. Blink ducked and power-crawled out of the way, behind a nearby bench. He registered something beeping and  _ blinked  _ away and towards the window of a nearby building just at the bench exploded.   


A whistling sound from on high steadily grew louder. Turning towards it Blink noticed a missile coming at him and  _ blinked  _ once more, this time to the entrance of a nearby alleyway, reappearing as yet another blast rang out at his back.   


Fear began to overtake him and he took off in a dead sprint, running through the unfamiliar alley. He knew that he was lost and that he was being herded somewhere. Like anybody would make a bomb that beeped without a plan in play like that.   


A nearby door opened just ahead of Blink. Looking around he saw a lamp above the door and instinctively threw a powerbolt dropping it  onto the head of the emerging Shadowrider, and dropping them. Racing forward Blink charged another powerbolt in his hand, grabbed onto the man’s face and shot. Blood, bone and grey matter spattered against the doorway.   


He barely registered the now headless corpse as he took off once more. He turned a corner towards the sound of explosions and sustained gunfire. Someone was fighting, and pinned in one place.   


_ Duncan. _

He picked up speed, growing slightly confident at the prone bodies that lined the end of the alleyway. Though they were strewn about they all had holes in the same part of their heads. His hand went to the gun in his chest before he stopped and stilled himself against the memory of Duncan helping him with his marksmanship back at the range.   


_ You know he knew what he was talking about back then. He’ll be just fine. _

As he stepped out of the alley he turned and saw Duncan crouched behind a barrel further up the street. He ducked out of cover, fired at someone Blink couldn’t see,  and ducked back down. A smile that Blink didn’t know he had in him fell, as he saw a glint of light in a second story window. A gun, aimed right at Duncan.   


“Duncan watch out!” But the gun fired off just as Blink did, with Duncan grabbing at the back of his head and pulling out a tranquilizer. Blink’s heart sank as he watched the gun fall from Duncan’s hands, and saw the much larger man fall onto one knee. That they’d used a tranquilizer, and as such wanted him alive, was of little consolation.   


Blink started to take off, to get Duncan and just  _ leave,  _ when he registered a sound like two metal balls hitting concrete, and immediately knew them to be grenades. He barely had time to put up a hastily improvised Armor spell before they went off, and sent him flying into some nearby bags of trash.   


Tired and wounded, his world felt as though it had come to a standstill. Blink crawled, unsteady and unsure, through the garbage, throwing aside whatever got in his way. The ache in his left side throbbed and his left eye was clouded with blood that dripped from his forehead. He wiped away the blood and closed the wound with magic and then fell onto a knee, panting heavily. No more magic for a while.   


Catching his breath he turned to see Duncan slumped onto knees, surrounded by seven heavily armed and intimidating figures in full riot gear. Two of them had him by one of his arms, with another removing his commlink and other equipment. From where he was Blink couldn’t see if Duncan was still conscious, but his instincts told him he was.   


_ Damnit! _

Heavy footsteps on either side brought Blink back to himself. He peeked and saw two trolls sporting the same gear as the people who’d captured Duncan advancing at him with guns drawn and pointed right at him.   


_ Damnit!! _

Blink glanced back at Duncan, and then at the troll advancing closer. A decision had to be made.   


_ I’m sorry… Duncan. _

Looking towards the troll on his right he took in the lamppost behind him,  _ zipped  _ under the trolls legs, and then up to the top of the post, where he rematerialized. Quickly glancing upwards, he  _ zipped _ up to the roof of the nearest building and, with one last glance back at Duncan, turned and  _ blinked  _ away...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thought it was time for some more original content.  
> Plus I was really looking forward to this chapter. Had a lot of fun writing it too.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you Ghostfriendly for beta-reading!


End file.
